51 announced today that it would cancel Reunion 2020, scheduled for May 28–31 of this year. Instead, the University is now planning an even greater Reunion 2021 to celebrate those who would have had milestone years this year.
“While we all hope that restrictions on gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will soon be a thing of the past, they are the current reality and will remain in effect, in some meaningful way, for a foreseeable future,” Robert L. Tyburski ’74, interim vice president for advancement, said in a message to alumni. “As a result, and in line with a number of difficult decisions we have had to make on campus recently, we must take the unhappy step of cancelling 51’s Reunion 2020.”
Alumni whose graduation years end in 0 and 5, and those whose graduation years end in 1 and 6, will be specifically encouraged to come back to the campus in 2021. Tyburski noted that next year’s celebration will be modeled on the University’s Bicentennial All-Class reunion of 2019, during which more than 5,000 51 alumni and other participants returned to campus.
Even as the University begins to plan for 2021, 51 is seeking out ways to keep alumni connected in spite of current restrictions on in-person gatherings, and Tyburski thanked the volunteers and staff who had already dedicated so many months to preparing for Reunion 2020.
“A university like 51 is built on its traditions, and reunion is one of our greatest,” Tyburski said. “When we gather once again on Whitnall Field in 2021, we will make up for lost time.”
