Autumn Advice

Return to main article:

Tap into the spirit of the class by involving classmates during, before, and after the reunion in planning or brainstorming about ideas for new events and activities. “Get people involved early, even while they are at the current reunion, while they are saying that everything is great,” says Eva Kampits ’68. And follow up after the reunion to solicit feedback while experiences are still fresh.

  • Don’t be afraid to copy great ideas from other classes.
  • Find a unifying event that will draw people to Cambridge, starting on Thursday or at least Friday night, says Anne Holtzworth ’84. “You want people coming in for the whole long weekend, not just showing up on Saturday morning.”
  • Centralize the planning and plan in consistent, incremental ways during the prior 18 months. Having an “on-site reunion committee able to meet frequently with the HAA is essential,” says Kampits. “The HAA staff is key to making reunion activities work—or not.”
  • Find opportunities to meet with students, or attend student events focused on the arts, sports, or academics, enabling alumni to connect with life on campus life and see firsthand all the changes at Harvard.
  • Be flexible and inclusive. Solicit volunteers and be prepared to hear ideas. “Over 70 classmates participated in the reunion committees,” reports Kampits, including fundraising, attendance, and programming. “And, for good or for ill, the ideas kept coming into September!”

Click here for the May-June 2014 issue table of contents

You might also like

Stand-Up to Simmer Down

In comedy groups, students find ways to be absurd, present, and a little less self-conscious.

Making Money Funny

Matt Levine’s spunky Bloomberg column

Most popular

Harvard Layoffs Continue, with More to Come

In the wake of federal government actions, several Harvard schools and institutes are cutting costs.

Trump Administration Threatens Harvard’s Accreditation, Subpoenas Student Records

The federal government mounts pressure amid negotiations with Harvard.

Are Noncitizens’ Speech Rights Protected?

Harvard faculty testify in a federal lawsuit over free speech and deportations.

Explore More From Current Issue

Harvard’s Plant Collection Meets Space Science

Light-based analysis of botanical collections link plants to Earth’s changing climate.

How Harvard Students Handle Political Disagreements

The Undergraduate asks if intellectualism is really on life support.

The Harvard Professor Who Quantified Democracy

Erica Chenoweth’s data shows how—and when—authoritarians fall.