Reunion

Ivy Day Ceremony and Illumination Night

On the day before Commencement, alums lead the senior class in a parade through campus. The seniors then plant ivy to symbolize the connection between the college and its graduates. On Illumination Night, the campus is aglow from the light of colored paper lanterns, creating the perfect atmosphere for reminiscing and reflecting.

Alum Parade

Don’t forget your whites! Join this moving, time-honored Reunion tradition that celebrates the enduring connections among generations of alums.

First held in 1909, the Alum Parade has served as a powerful symbol of the gratitude alums have for the college itself, the campus and the education they received here. The parade began as a way for alum classes to honor the senior class, one another, the college president and members of the faculty. Although alums now dress uniformly in white, earlier classes had varied, colorful—and sometimes quite elaborate—costumes. Colored ribbons now differentiate the classes. The class of 1905 was the first to carry placards, and by 1915 these signs became a regular feature of the parade.