The Marlboro College campus was inundated with alumni and good vibes for Home Days 2019, September 27 through 29, an opportunity to remember, reflect, and support the college as it contemplates near-term strategies for future sustainability. Eager alumni came from as far away as Texas and California, and spanned over 50 graduation years from 1968 to 2019.
“It was incredible to see campus jam-packed with alumni,” said Maia Segura ’91, director of alumni engagement. Attendance swelled leading up to the weekend, requiring the college to seek larger venues for several events to accommodate all attendees. The event raised over $6,000 for Marlboro, and provided a full measure of solidarity for this key constituency. “It was a ‘best-of Marlboro’ day, and the love and support for our community has been overwhelming.”
Highlights included a packed house for the Alumni Dance Showcase in Whittemore Theater, featuring the work of nine alumni dancers at the height of their game, and standing room only in the dining hall for politics professor Meg Mott’s lecture on the First Amendment.
“Bringing my company to Marlboro to perform at Home Days was a beautiful experience,” said Heather Bryce ’04, one of the alumni that presented their work at the Alumni Dance Showcase. Her experience at Home Days has led her to work with other alumni to re-establish the Marlboro College Alumni Association. “I was thrilled to have the opportunity to share my practice with other Marlboro alumni and to reconnect with the Marlboro community.”
A “Kevin Unplugged” session offered alumni the opportunity to hear directly from the college president about the status of merger negotiations, and to express their ideas and support. At the festive Saturday night dinner, Allison Turner MS’99 received the 2019 Roots Award recognizing her outstanding service to the Marlboro College community.
“I was very moved by the programming and energy on the Hill,” said alumna attendee and trustee Heatherjean MacNeil ’02. “It was a stark reminder of why Marlboro is so deeply important to me, and of its ability to cultivate such an amazing community that is driven by talented and caring individuals.”
Alumni are encouraged to continue to engage with the college by sending their questions and ideas to questions@marlboro.edu, participating in the alumni engagement survey, and staying tuned for more information regarding the revival of the Marlboro College Alumni Association. Meanwhile, photos from Home Days can be found on our flickr page, and the full Alumni Dance Showcase can be found on Vimeo.
