On the weekend of March 28 and 29, Oglethorpe University opened its gates to over 500 alumni and friends for its annual Alumni Weekend. This beloved tradition gathered crowds from the field of athletics, sentimental reunion years, and the celebration of our treasured Golden Petrels. The two-day event was a testament to the genuine Petrel Pride that is felt in the heart of Oglethorpe’s campus.

Friday’s kickoff luncheon honored faculty retirees Brent Runnels, senior lecturer and director of music, and Lee Knippenberg, lecturer of theatre and Core Studies for their dedicated service to our campus and student body. Current faculty, staff and alumni filled Lupton Auditorium to reflect on the impact of both Dr. Runnels and Professor Knippenberg, while gifting their warmest wishes for them into retirement. 

Friday evening Lupton Auditorium was once again filled with alumni for the annual Alumni Awards and Athletics Hall of Fame Reception and Ceremony. The evening was filled with cheering, and at times even a tear or two, as Dr. John Nardo (Carillon Award), Alex Attebery ’16 (O.K. Sheffield ’53 Young Alumnus Award), Barbara Bessmer Henry ’85 (Belle Turner Lynch ’61 Spirit of Oglethorpe Award), and Cameron Bready ’94 (Talmadge Award) were honored, as were Anthony Maccaglia ’15, Felix Mann ’11, Nikos Papanikolopoulos ’15, and Patrick Kulick ’16 – each inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame.

Starting off Saturday, the Alumni Board meeting initiated their newest president, Heather Staniszewski ’02. Then, alumni were able to take a trip down memory lane during the Back to the Classroom Lectures hosted by familiar Oglethorpe faces. Once class was no longer in session, guests joined President McClymond for her annual address during Petrels with the President, sharing what is new and being innovated on campus. Then, alumni joined their classmates for the traditional Quad Fest where lunch was served, and it was followed by crowds gathered for the alumni basketball and soccer games.

New this year was the addition of Milestone Reunions, celebrating the classes of 1975,1980, 2000, 2015 and 2020. The class of 2000 led the milestone reunions, gathering at a local favorite, HobNob Neighborhood Tavern, where laughter, stories of campus life, and flipping through old yearbooks were the hallmark of the event.

For the class of 2020, this reunion was particularly special. Because they didn’t have the traditional Senior Week, Carillon Ceremony, or Commencement Ceremonies due to Covid-19, for many this was their first time back on campus since 2020.

Alumnus Coyvan Greer ’20 said, “I have always felt the strong connection to Oglethorpe and the community I made here, but it was especially present for me during this Alumni Weekend.”

This sentiment continued to resonate, as the classes from the 1980s reminisced and reconnected over all that is new but has fondly remained the same during the last 40 years.

The evening concluded with another alumni favorite, Stomp the Lawn, which featured a DJ accompanied by live instruments, welcoming alumni from all years to dance the night away under the twinkle lights on the historic Academic Quad. While this year’s celebration is behind us, the Office of Alumni Engagement looks forward to welcoming all Petrels back to campus for many other events soon!