Alumni, families, and friends gathered on campus from May 29 through June 1 for Alumni Weekend 2025, a joyful celebration of community and milestone reunions. The reunion theme, “You Are Here,” asked attendees to ponder how their individual Swarthmore stories and experiences remain a foundational part of the College, even as campus experiences significant changes, including the opening of Sharples Commons, the renovation of Martin Hall, and the ambitious projects of To Zero by Thirty-Five. More than 1,300 attendees from the Classes of 1955 through 2025 took part in the festivities, including the ever popular and festive Parade of Classes. For many alumni, this year’s Alumni Weekend was a meaningful opportunity to make up for lost time, or, for the Class of 2020, to reunite for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020.
Friday kicked off with tours, open houses, and gatherings across campus. In the afternoon, the Classes of 1974 and 1975 organized a panel discussion, “The Climate Crisis: How Can We Deal With It,” featuring Peter Meyer ’65, Robert McKinstry ’75, Maria Tikoff Vargas ’85, and Stevie O’Hanlon ’17. Vice President of Finance and Administration Rob Goldberg shared updates on recent federal actions and policies as they pertain to Swarthmore in his talk, “The Federal Policy Landscape and Higher Education.” Later that evening, attendees enjoyed the first in-person SwatTalk with Sean Decatur ’90, president of the American Museum of Natural History, in conversation with incoming Alumni Council President Jim Sailer ’90.
During Saturday's Alumni Collection, former Alumni Council President Ayanna Johnson ’09 welcomed alumni back to Swarthmore before presenting this year’s alumni service awards. Suzanne Durrell ’75, gave this year’s Collection Address, “Justice for All: A Lifelong Commitment,” during which she reflected on her experiences at Swarthmore and beyond. Following the address, Johnson passed the gavel to Jim Sailer ’90.
Class reunion committees planned a wide range of activities throughout the weekend, including discussions, campus tours, receptions, musical performances, singalongs, memorials, talent shows, and lawn games. The Swarthmore Black Alumni Network, LGBTQ+ Alumni Network, and Young Alumni Ambassadors Program each organized events for affinity alumni to connect, including the SBAN Town Hall, SBAN Jazz Brunch, Lavender Table Talk, and the annual “Grow with YAAP” event. With a full schedule of events for alumni of all ages — including their families and friends — reunion attendees celebrated their connections to each other. They shared meals, danced at parties, sang together, and found time for meaningful conversations, often in their favorite campus spots.
We are deeply grateful to this year’s reunion committee members, whose tireless dedication, creativity, and care made it possible for classmates to reconnect in meaningful, joyful, and inclusive ways and helped make Alumni Weekend a resounding success for all. Additionally, reunion committees inspired generosity and a tradition of giving back among their classmates, helping to raise $3,473,924 so far this fiscal year. Notably, 63% of alumni who returned to campus for the weekend made a gift to the College.
Save the date for Alumni Weekend 2026, May 29–31 in celebration of milestone reunions for class years ending in 1 and 6.
