Reunion Events
Unless otherwise indicated, all Reunion events will be hosted on Zoom. For the best experience, we recommend downloading the Zoom desktop client or app for your mobile device (including iPads and other tablets). If you are unfamiliar with Zoom, you may find these resources from Swarthmore’s ITS department helpful.
Events are being planned by Class Reunion Committees and the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement. As plans are finalized, event details and registrations will be added to this page.
Have an idea for a class event or activity? Connect with your Class Reunion Committee. Use the links below to jump to a list of your class's upcoming events.
All Reunion Year Alumni | 1951:70th | 1956/1955:65th | 1961: 60th | 1966: 55th | 1971: 50th | 1976: 45th | 1981: 40th | 1986: 35th | 1991: 30th | 1996: 25th | 2001: 20th | 2006: 15th | 2011: 10th | 2016: 5th | 2019: 2nd
Upcoming Events
Past events are listed at the bottom of the page.
All Reunion Year Alumni (1's and 6's, Garnet Sages, Class of '19)
April 22, 2021 - Thursday
Faculty Lecture: The Class Ceiling - Race, Class Origin, and Income Inequality
8-9 p.m. ET
A powerful 'class pay gap’ exists in Britain’s elite occupations. Even when those from working-class backgrounds make it into prestigious jobs, they earn, on average, 16% less than colleagues from privileged backgrounds. But why is this the case? Drawing on 175 interviews across four case studies – television, accountancy, architecture, and acting – Daniel Laurison, assistant professor of Sociology, will explore the complex barriers facing the upwardly mobile.
April 23, 2021 - Friday
Virtual Students and Alumni Kehila Shabbat Service
7-8 p.m. ET
This participatory, inclusive service for Shabbat is open to all. The service and dvar/discussion are led by students. Kehilah, Swarthmore’s Jewish community, is LGBTQ+-affirming.
Use this link to join.
April 29, 2021 - Thursday
Volvelles Workshop
7:30-8:30 p.m. ET
Volvelles, rotating paper wheel charts, were medieval cutting-edge information technology, the ‘original computers’ that allowed users to calculate dates, and positions of constellations. Join Pam Harris, associate College Librarian, and Susan Dreher, Exhibitions Librarian of the McCabe Library to learn more about the unique Astronomicum Caesareum book with its sublime volvelles, on display in McCabe, and make your own volvelle.
Supplies will be sent to you beforehand if you register by Friday April 23, or you can gather your own supplies using this list. Registration capacity is limited.
May 10, 2021 - Monday
Memory Mapping Workshop
7:30-8:30 p.m. ET
Join Swarthmore College Archivist, David Obermayer, to recount your favorite memories of special places on Swarthmore College Campus. Add your memories to an interactive Google map of campus along with historical photographs and partner with other alumni in building a memory map of Swarthmore College's history.
Registration capacity is limited.
Registration link to follow soon.
May 13, 2021 - Thursday
Young Alumni Quizzo with DJ Alan '97
8:30-9:30 p.m. ET
Are you a Swat trivia expert? How is your knowledge of pop culture? History? Put your wisdom to the test and join DJ Alan '97 for an evening of virtual Quizzo.
This evening is specifically for our Young Alumni. All reunion-year alumni can join Quizzo on Friday, May 28.
May 18, 2021 - Tuesday
Alumni Lecture: The Chinese system of growth
8-9 p.m. ET
Join alum and professor of economics Chang-Tai Hsieh '91, Phyllis and Irwin Winkelried Professor of Economics and PCL Faculty Scholar, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, for a talk about the Chinese system of growth and its implications for the world.
May 20, 2021 - Thursday
Baking Workshop
7:30-8:30 p.m. ET
After a successful baking workshop as part of our fall 2020 virtual programming, Therese Ton ’19 will join us once more to explore the science of baking. Come bake with Therese and make her yummy brown sugar chocolate chip cookies.
While a student at Swarthmore College, Therese started her own bakery, Toscah. During this workshop, Therese will demonstrate her baking skills and talk about her experience starting a business. Attendees are invited to bake along with Therese. A recipe with gluten free and vegan options will be provided after registration.
Registration link coming soon.
May 25, 2021 - Tuesday
Alumni Lecture: After the Outbreak - Narrative and Infrastructure
8-9 p.m. ET
Sari Altschuler '01, associate professor of English, associate director of the Humanities Center, and founding director of the Health, Humanities, and Society minor and initiative at Northeastern University, will present “After the Outbreak: Narrative, Infrastructure”, which examines COVID-19 and considers what we might learn from people who lived with truly global pandemics of this sort in the past.
May 28, 2021 - Friday
All Reunion Year Alumni Quizzo '97
8:30-9:30 p.m. ET
Are you a Swat trivia expert? How is your knowledge of pop culture? History? Put your wisdom to the test and join DJ Alan '97 for an evening of virtual Quizzo.
May 29, 2021 - Saturday
Virtual Dance Party with Nathan and the Narwhals, followed by Q&A
More details and registration link to follow soon.
June 1, 2021 - Tuesday
Virtual Exhibit and Discussion - Nazanin Moghbeli '96 at List Art Gallery
8-9 p.m. ET
Andrea Packard, List Gallery Director, will introduce alum, artist, and cardiologist Nazanin Moghbeli '96 for a discussion of Nazanin's most recent work, the intersection of art and medicine, and how her Swarthmore education supported these endeavors. A downloadable catalog of Nazanin's work will accompany the exhibit.
June 12, Saturday
Virtual Parade of Classes and Alumni Collection
12 p.m. ET
Join fellow alumni for this hallmark of Alumni Weekend in its first — and hopefully only — virtual format. Tune in on Facebook or YouTube Live to see archival images of you and your classmates “on parade” followed by the Collection program — featuring remarks from President Valerie Smith and the presentation of the Alumni Awards.
70th Reunion
Save the Date: Saturday May 29, 2021
We're still planning for our next event. Stay tuned!
65th Reunion
We're still planning for our next event. Stay tuned!
60th Reunion
We're working on our next event! Stay tuned for an Arts panel the first weekend in June.
55th Reunion
A Warning From Weimar
April 19, 2021
8 p.m. EDT
Join members of the Class of ’66 for a discussion about the Weimar Republic’s birth in a defeated Germany, and how the Great Depression provided the occasion for Nazis to come to power. A warning for today?
Kindly register by Sunday, April 18.
FREEBO Concert
May 11, 2021
Time TBD
Registration details to come.
50th Reunion
Our 50th Reunion Clothier Showcase is a time for us to get together and have classmates share a song, dance, poem, special talent, or any other sort of art.
Barnes Foundation - Virtual Tour
April 25th
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
We are offering our annual Barnes Foundation visit for the 50th reunion class in virtual format this year. The hour-long program features a 50-minute live tour with a Barnes docent followed by a Q&A. Using "deep zoom" technology, you will see paintings and objects much closer and with greater detail than is possible on-site—this is a whole new experience!
This is time for us to come together casually to catch up with one another. Think of this as running into someone at the Sharples tent or Parrish and having a brief catch-up. This will be done via Zoom breakout rooms in small groups.
45th Reunion
Class of 1976 Best of the '70s Parody Hits! May 2nd
Join us on May 2nd as we present Swarthmore memories in the best parody songs that our famous Empresario, Dave Scheiber and his musical production team could pull together! Make sure to register for this event which is guarenteed to make you laugh as we look back 45 years.
Reunion Cookbook: A collection of favorite recipes from our post-Swarthmore lives
We’ve all had interesting and rewarding lives since graduation, building on our intense Swarthmore experience. But most of us didn’t cook at Swarthmore. Our senses of taste, touch and sight, even hearing—are all deeply involved in cooking and baking. So where have our life-journeys taken us since our college days, as found in some favorite dish?
Please contribute one recipe that seems to you expressive of some significant aspect of your post-Swarthmore life. It could be anything—the memory of a trip, a recipe brought into your family through marriage, a delicious discovery. Consider framing the recipe with the story that makes it so special to you. And photographs—of the dish, and the circumstances.
Please send recipes and photos (either of the dish, or of a food memory at Swarthmore) to Bruce Robertson at brobertson@ucsb.edu
40th Reunion
We're still planning for our next event. Stay tuned!
35th Reunion
It really hasn't been that long since the early 1980s, has it? Well let's see. Join us at our Class of '86 Reunion Trivia Night on Friday April 16 at 8:00 pm EDT.Do you remember which meal at Sharples was the butt of all our jokes? Do you remember whose portrait was hanging in Parlors? How about the top 40 hits of our freshman year? Join us for a night of fun as we take on those questions and more.
30th Reunion
25th Reunion
20th Reunion
No events are scheduled at this time.
15th Reunion
10th Reunion
April 25th
2:00 - 4:00 p.m. ET
Register for this event
Join us for our next reunion event - a casual get together over Zoom!
Young Alumni Quizzo with DJ Alan '97
May 13, 2021 - Thursday
8:30-9:30 p.m. ET
Are you a Swat trivia expert? How is your knowledge of pop culture? History? Put your wisdom to the test and join DJ Alan '97 for an evening of virtual Quizzo.
5th Reunion
Young Alumni Quizzo with DJ Alan '97
May 13, 2021 - Thursday
8:30-9:30 p.m. ET
Are you a Swat trivia expert? How is your knowledge of pop culture? History? Put your wisdom to the test and join DJ Alan '97 for an evening of virtual Quizzo.
2nd Reunion
Young Alumni Quizzo with DJ Alan '97
May 13, 2021 - Thursday
8:30-9:30 p.m. ET
Are you a Swat trivia expert? How is your knowledge of pop culture? History? Put your wisdom to the test and join DJ Alan '97 for an evening of virtual Quizzo.
Past Events
- Class of 1961 Spring Fling
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April 17
4-5:30 p.m. ET - Class of 1976 Cocktail Party
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April 11th
4:30 - 6:00 p.m. ET - Class of 1971 Sharples Social
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April 11th 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. ET Join us for an informal gathering to celebrate reunion!
- Class of 2006 Game Night
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March 25th
8:00 - 9:30 p.m. ET
Celebrate reunion with a virtual game night! - Class of 1971 Tarble Talks
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March 24th
8:00 - 9:30 p.m. ET
Join us for our Tarble Talks as we hear from classmates about something they've learned, their passions, or anything else that's important to them these days. - Class of 1996 Parrish Parlor Talks
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March 21st
4:00 - 5:30 p.m. ET - Class of 2011 Fireside Chats
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March 21st
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET - Class of 1981 Reunion Gathering
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March 21st
2-3:30 p.m. ET - Class of '56 Reunion Kick Off
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Getting to the Heart of the Matter: My 36 Years in the Senate with Carl Levin '56
Monday, March 22, 2021
5–5:30 p.m.As part of our 65th Reunion, join members of the Classes of 1956 and 1955 for a discussion with Carl Levin ‘56 on his recently released memoir, Getting to the Heart of the Matter: My 36 Years in the Senate.
- Faculty Lecture: American by Birth: The Story of Birthright Citizenship in the United States. Carol Nackenoff, Richter Professor of Political Science
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March 18 from 8-9 p.m. ET.
American citizens are either born that way or made so by naturalization. The United States has generally considered those born on U.S. soil as its citizens. The 14th Amendment declared that “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States,” extending this principle for former slaves and their heirs. Many constitutional scholars argue that US birthright citizenship is long settled, and that the landmark Supreme Court case, U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark (1898) confirmed this understanding. However, there are those who have looked to reverse that protection and who read the Constitution differently. Richter Professor Carol Nackenoff talked to us about birthrigh citizenship from the Wong Kim Ark case to more recent discussions. - Virtual Poetry Reading with Debby Bacharach ’88, P’24
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February 25 from 8–8:30 p.m. ET.
Debby shared a reading from her new book of poems, Shake & Tremor, which grew directly out of work the dhe did in a Feminist Interpretation of Scripture seminar at Swarthmore College. Debby’s very contemporary book of poetry uses references to biblical stories in order to illuminate the difficulties and complications of relationships between men and women. - Class of 1976: A Chat With John Alston - “The Heart of the Chester Children’s Chorus”
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March 14th from 5 - 6 p.m. ET
- Class of 1991 Happy Hour
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March 12th from 7 - 9:30 p.m. ET
- Class of 1976 Reunion Event - "Our Search for Social Justice: 45 years ago, today, and tomorrow"
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February 28th
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. ET - Class of 1966: "The Boys Who Said NO!"
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March 4th
8 – 10 p.m. ETWatch an on-your-own screening of The Boys Who Said NO! and class discussion with producer Robert Levering ‘66, Michael Ferber ‘66, and Bob Eaton ‘65. Plan to discuss the film and to share your own stories about the Sixties and your thoughts about the relevance of our experiences to today’s social movements.
- Class of 1981 Reunion Gathering
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February 25 from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. ET
- Class of 2011 Reunion Brunch Party
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February 21 from 2 - 3 p.m. ET
- Class of 1986 Gathering
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February 21 from 11 - 12:30 p.m. ET
- Class of 1996 Reunion Social
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Jan. 31 from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. ET
- Class of 1976 Cocktail Party #2
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Jan. 31 from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. ET
We had so much fun at our first cocktail party that we thought we'd have another! Grab a glass of wine, a cocktail, or a cup of good coffee and get ready to see some faces from the past.
- Class of 1966 Groundhog Day Reunion Kickoff
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Feb. 2 from 8-9:30 p.m. ET
55th Reunion Kick Off social
- Class of 1971 Reunion Kick-Off
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Dec. 13 from 6 - 7:30 p.m. ETWe hope that you will join us for our kick-off event for a casual Zoom get together!
- Class of 1976 Cocktail Party
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Dec. 6 at 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. ETWe hope that you will join us for our kick-off event for a casual Zoom get together! Grab a glass of wine, a cocktail, or a cup of good coffee and get ready to see some faces from the past.
- Class of 1981 Reunion Kick-Off
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Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. ESTJoin fellow members of the Class of 1981 for a fun and casual reunion kick-off event! We'll catch up in smaller groups through a series of breakout rooms. You never know who you might "bump" into.
- Class of 1991 Happy Hour
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December 4th at 7 p.m. ETJoin us for a virtual happy hour to come together as a class to start celebrating our 30th reunion.
- Class of 1996 Gathering
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Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. ESTDuring the event we will kick-off our Reunion activities and re-connect with classmates, but we need your help! Please send us your photos for a slideshow and favorite 90's songs for a playlist.
- Class of 2006 Gathering
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Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. EST
Our first virtual gathering will be a way for us to socialize, catch up, and learn more about event ideas you might have. We hope to see you there!
- Class of '86: Reunion Kick-Off
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Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. EST
Join fellow members of the Class of 1986 for a fun and casual reunion kick-off event! We'll catch up in smaller groups through a series of breakout rooms. You never know who you might "bump" into.
