Homecoming
Homecoming 2008 promised food, fellowship, and the opportunity to reconnect with old friends, and by the end of the weekend, it was evident that the alumni were satisfied with the results. Armed with nametags, honor class ribbons and the ever-famous Diogenes Lanterns pinned to their lapels, hordes of current and former PUC-ites united in a common interest: affection for each other and their college.
The weekend was kick started by the Diogenes Dinner on Friday evening. Alumni of various ages and walks of life filled the Dining Commons side room and immediately began recognizing familiar faces. Before long, the room was buzzing with the murmur of compliments, jokes and stories, one of which was the humorous account of the inadvertent trespassing and subsequent arrest of one of the alums. (The charges were dropped when it became apparent that he had made an honest mistake.) Later that evening, alumni, students and staff headed over to the PUC Church for Vespers, where the congregation was able to participate in singing the beloved PUC song, "Our College on the Mountain," see the lighting of the Missionary Map, listen to speaker and current assistant boys dean Hernan Granados, ‘99, and hear the Healdsburg bell toll in memory of passed alumni.
On Sabbath morning, the Sanctuary filled up for Ed Wright’s,’73, sermon as well as the honored alumni awards ceremony. Sonia Ceballos, ’91, Roscoe Howard, ’78, Gary Swanson, ’68 and Honored Pioneer Alice Holst were all presented with engraved crystal awards for their academic and professional achievements and service to others.
The rest of the day was marked by various other highlights, such as the inauguration of the Malcolm Maxwell Reading Room. Adu Worku, who spent a great deal of time organizing the event, was pleased by the “full an overflowing” attendance and noted that the “atmosphere was one of celebration and reflection.” Another unique highlight was David Trim’s Walter Utt lecture, which Utt lectureship founder Dr. Bruce Anderson remarked was “probably the best-attended meeting we have had, reflecting not only the legacy of Dr. Utt at PUC, but also the impact of Dr. Trim, who has spoken widely on and off our campus during his current tenure as Utt Professor." Finally, the Red Books DVD viewing turned out to be a success as the supply of DVDs was greatly depleted by the end of the program. “I was thrilled to see a full house at Scales Chapel…and the level of interest in the project and Dramatic Arts Society's longevity," said Red Books Director and PUC Resident Artist Mei Ann Teo.
In between these special events, the visitors were able to enjoy a myriad of classic Homecoming activities such as the strawberry shortcake reception and the return of the badly missed alumni potluck in the gymnasium. Over plates of delicious food and scrumptious desserts, old friends shared laughs and caught each other up on their latest, while members of the honored classes took turns posing for the traditional class photographs. That evening, the honored classes also had the opportunity to attend their respective class parties, where, over more delicious food, they were able to meet one another’s families and reminisce with their yearbooks.
All in all, the weekend turned out to fulfill most of the expectations, and with tears in their eyes, smiles on their faces, and memories in their hearts, the alumni once again drove off the hill.