Salve Regina to host in-person Reunion Weekend, a lineup of events for alumni

The Office of Alumni, Parent and Family Programs is hosting its annual Reunion Weekend on Friday, June 3 through Sunday, June 5. From morning sails to nights on the town to special meals, Salve Regina alumni can look forward to an exciting and unique experience in Newport, Rhode Island, to commemorate their reunion. To register for Reunion Weekend, go here. The deadline to register is Sunday, May 22.

“In 2020, we celebrated with virtual reunion gatherings through video calls. In 2021, we brought Reunion Weekend online to the alumni’s home through celebration kits,” said Gillian Goodrich, assistant director for the Office of Alumni, Parent and Family programs. “The year 2022 is the year we are reuniting in person.”

Unlike the past couple of years, alumni and their guests are welcome to stay in campus dorms to get the full Reunion Weekend experience, and there will be opportunities for them to explore all of campus and immerse themselves in Salve Regina.

New events include an added State of the University event where Dr. Kelli J. Armstrong, president of the University, will be in attendance to answer questions and give updates on the exciting direction in which Salve Regina is headed. Many of Salve Regina’s alumni haven’t had the opportunity to come back to campus at all since they graduated, so there will also be a campus tour led by student ambassadors. Additionally, Fr. Scott Pontes, a chaplain at Salve Regina, is hosting an open house for the Mercy Center for Spiritual Life for those who haven’t had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with the chapel since its erection in 2010.

On Saturday, June 4, there will be an all-class Lobster Bake filled with traditional Newport fixings prepared by local seafood legend McGrath Clambakes. To top the night off, there will be a live band and a chance to dance the night away. A list of all Reunion Weekend events can be found here.

“I know for myself, this is the first year I’ll be able to celebrate Reunion Weekend in person,” said Goodrich. “It’s so exciting to have the anticipation of friends coming together to reminisce about their college days, being able to bring their family to show them around and celebrating everything our alumni have accomplished since they’ve graduated. Their relationship with Salve has only deepened since graduation.”

Reunion Weekend has been a tradition at Salve Regina for decades. Back in the 1950s there were two groups of current students’ parents, Ladies Guild and the Father’s Club, that helped organize programs, activities and dances for students. Eventually, as Salve Regina graduated more and more students, these graduates joined the ranks of the Ladies Guild, which developed into Salve Regina’s original alumni association.

During the 1960s, the Ladies Guild continued to be very active with programming events for students, and it eventually produced the first campus events for alumni – including the first alumni weekends. These later on became known as Reunion Weekends.

“Of note was an interesting event the Ladies Guild put on in the late 1950s – a book signing in Ochre Court for a new author who had just written a book called ‘Profiles in Courage,’ ” said Gerry Willis, director of the Office of Alumni, Parent and Family programs. “The author was John F. Kennedy.”

To register for Reunion Weekend, go here. Deadline to register is Sunday, May 22.