UCSC used to be the brash upstart of the UC system. When it opened in 1965, much of the campus was still unbuilt, students were living in trailers, classes were being held in a sprawling field house, and the fledgling university was still making a name for itself.
These days, pioneer Slugs must be asking themselves, “Where did the time go?” This year, there will be an unusual assortment of 50th anniversary celebrations during the annual Alumni Week.“The milestone reunions have packed event lineups throughout the week, offering alumni a unique experience that will warm their hearts,” said Shayna Kent, executive director of alumni engagement at UCSC.
Crown College will fill its 50th reunion celebration with activities celebrating the college’s spirit.“The Crownies’ 50th reunion will include folk dancing around the fountain at Crown, bringing back a Friday ritual from when they were students,” Kent said.
There will also be activities for Crownies from all years, including a Crown All-Alumni Dinner on Saturday and a Provost Brunch on Sunday.Cowell College's Wednesday night reunion activities include emeriti faculty and small group discussions hitting on the theme at Cowell College, “the pursuit of truth in the company of friends.”
The college will also hold a special in-person and online Saturday morning colloquium that examines why people hold reunions in the first place. The presentation is called “1968 to the present: Beyond nostalgia.”The Natural History Field Quarter will present a small panel of alumni working in various natural history-related fields.
The event will cover a range of topics, including early-career advice, encouraging greater diversity, inclusion in various natural history-related disciplines, and more. It will also include an invitation for anyone hoping to come to the Natural History Field Quarter’s 50-year celebration event on June 3-5.
Other reunions and celebrations will take place across the campus or in the virtual realm. On Tuesday, April 19, there will be a virtual “Weird Science” reunion for all of those who took the memorable class with psychology professor Jean E. Fox Tree. On Thursday, April 21, the Latin American and Latino Studies Department will mark 20 years as a department in a virtual celebration and networking event.On Saturday morning, Merrill College is celebrating the 12-year anniversary of the Focus on Africa program. There will be a reunion for Focus on Africa alumni who took the program from the years 2014 through 2021, as well as public recognition of the newly formed co-op partnership with University of Nairobi.
At 1 p.m. on Saturday, Merrill alumni will hold a remembrance ceremony to honor Archbishop Desmond Tutu and hold small group conversations on contemporary issues in Africa.Visit the Alumni Week site for a full schedule of events.
Register now for in-person and virtual events.
