Stanford welcomes alumni to Reunion Homecoming

This weekend, Stanford will welcome thousands of alumni back to campus for Reunion Homecoming. The annual event, hosted by the Stanford Alumni Association (SAA), is a time for alumni to reconnect with former classmates and the campus they once called home.

Stanford alumni attend the 2021 Reunion Homecoming. (Image credit: Stanford Alumni Association)

“Welcoming our alumni back to campus for Reunion Homecoming is always an exciting time at Stanford,” said Victor Madrigal, ’94, director of alumni and student class outreach at SAA. “The SAA team and campus partners have worked hard to create an exciting lineup of events and programming that will help alumni enjoy visiting with old friends and making new ones.”

Reunion Homecoming will take place Thursday, Oct. 20, through Sunday, Oct. 23. At least 7,000 alumni and guests from across the country and abroad are expected to attend. Throughout the weekend, they will be invited to numerous parties, tailgates, tours, and open houses, as well as mini reunions with campus clubs, organizations, academic departments, and schools, like the Stanford Law School Fall Reunion 2022.

“In addition to the social component of the weekend, there is also an academic component,” said Madrigal. “Alumni are invited to attend talks with Stanford faculty experts who will discuss everything from current events to technology.”

Forever Cardinal

On Friday at 10 a.m., President Marc Tessier-Lavigne will officially welcome alumni back to Stanford at an event in Memorial Auditorium. His remarks will be followed by “micro lectures” with Stanford faculty on such topics as global warming, censorship and social media, race and national security in the courts, and using math and physics to treat Parkinson’s with a vibrating glove.

Other faculty talks happening during Reunion Homecoming include “The New Supreme Court,” which will consider the recent changes to the court and its future; “Global Threats Today: What’s At Stake, and What We Can Do About It,” which will discuss conflicts around the world, including the war between Russia and Ukraine; “Why Does Grandpa Hate Contemporary Art? The Contingent Problem in the Appreciation of Popular and Experimental Music,” which explores how to appreciate art that feels foreign; and “Transforming Healthcare With Big Data and Wearables,” about ways that data and wearable technologies can benefit human health.

Throughout the weekend, attendees can join any number of tours of Stanford, including a student-led bus tour of campus for those with limited mobility. Other tours will visit the Anderson Collection, Frost Amphitheater, Stanford Stadium, Cantor Arts Center, the Arizona Cactus Garden, the Product Realization Lab, the Stanford Educational Farm, and Stanford’s new residential neighborhoods, among other campus locales. Attendees are also invited to open houses, including at Memorial Church, the Humanities Center, the d.school, and Stanford’s many community centers.

Dinner on the Quad is the signature event of Reunion Homecoming. The sold-out gathering is the weekend’s largest event; about 2,000 guests are expected to attend Thursday’s dinner.

On Sunday, a nondenominational Service of Remembrance will be held at Memorial Church. It will include readings by alumni and a memorial to remember alumni who have passed.

Many “mini reunions” will take place throughout the weekend for individual classes, as well as for members of various clubs and Greek organizations. On Saturday, Stanford Football will face Arizona State University at Stanford Stadium and prior to kickoff, there will be many class-organized tailgates. Other fun activities throughout the weekend will include hikes to The Dish, a Quad Photography Walk, and a pickleball tournament for members of the classes of 1982 and 1992.

Gatherings for former student-athletes, former members of Ram’s Head, Jewish alumni, Latinx alumni, and members of the first-gen/low-income (FLI) community will also occur. For alumni bringing families, there will be programming for children.

On Friday, SAA and Stanford’s ethnic communities will award this year’s Multicultural Alumni Hall of Fame inductees. The event will take place from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Tresidder Oak Lounge.

Madrigal said that Reunion Homecoming is made possible by hundreds of volunteers who form class committees to help plan events and conduct outreach and engagement. They are supported by a small cadre of staff class managers and many other SAA staff to put the special touches on the reunion program.

“Altogether over 1,100 alumni volunteers are involved, in addition to approximately 250-300 temporary student hires,” Madrigal said.

A complete schedule of events is available on the SAA Reunion Homecoming website. Organizers strongly recommended that attendees be vaccinated for COVID-19; however, proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test will not be required to attend.