Penn State Behrend Reunion

No catchy blog title here – just a plain, simple title (with a very non-plain event). This weekend (July 25-27th) is Penn State Behrend’s Reunion 2008, celebrating our 60th Anniversary. (For those Erieites looking for relevant, keep reading or scroll to the bottom for the free and open to the public events.)

And for the 3 months I have worked at Behrend, everyday has included something with Reunion. This past month, most days were filled with Reunion planning – I have been eating, sleeping, and breathing reunion. Seriously, I am not exaggerating; for weeks I will wake up in the middle of the night from a dream about Reunion. Finally, my dreams are coming true. Behrend Reunion 2008 is almost here. I can almost smell (I told you I was not exaggerating about breathing reunion) the hot dogs, creamery ice cream, wine, and zoo animals. If those smells seem curious, let me tell you what is on the fun-filled agenda.

On Friday, there are two picnic dinners depending on your class year. The Pioneer Picnic is for Behrend Alumni who attended Behrend in our first 10 years, from 1948-1958. The Alumni Picnic at the Wilson Picnic Grove on Behrend’s campus is for all other Alumni and their families – hot dogs will be grilled and marshmallows will be roasted. Following the dinners, there will be a student-favorite event called Midnight Bingo held at 10:00pm, where alumni can play bingo with their families and win a variety of prizes.

Saturday has too many events to mention them all but some of the events include Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides, Enchanted the movie, Texas Hold’em Poker, and Creamery Ice Cream.

The Wine Tour, sponsored by the Behrend Alumni Society, is one of the most popular events at reunion. Buses pick up the alumni and guests at Behrend and take them around to two or three North East, Pa. vineyards. There alumni can sample Erie’s finest wines and purchase some to take home (or drink that weekend). Not since Behrend’s 50th Anniversary has Scott Mitchell and the Erie Zoo joined us for a dinner presentation and wrap up the day’s fun. Scott, a 1984 Behrend grad, will be bringing a variety of different animals some with scales, some with feathers, and some with fur.

Part of the reunion includes “Classes You May Have Missed.” These classes invite alumni to take a class that will be interesting, fun, and educational that Behrend doesn’t normally offer its students. The classes include History of Behrend, Abs Workout for Alums, Improve Your Short Golf Game, Salsa Lessons, Harry Potter’s Secrets, and Wine Tasting Lessons (with Presque Isle’s Doug Moorehead – Penn State Class of ’54).

For those who are not Behrend grads (I thank you for sticking this out and reading this entry), there are three events that are free and open to the public. The Behrend Alumni Society’s first annual Car Show will be held Saturday, July 26 starting at 11:00 am in the Erie Hall Lot at Penn State Behrend. All cars will receive a free gift for entering and there will be an award to the top People’s Choice Car. D.J. Bill Mason will be on hand to provide entertaining music and food will be sold to benefit the Behrend Alumni Society’s scholarship.

The other free events are for those who enjoy music. There will be two music concerts this weekend. The first is on Organ Concert on Saturday from 3:00-4:00pm in Behrend’s Smith Chapel and the other event is the first performance of the Behrend Alumni and Student Choir Concert under the direction of Dr. Jason Bishop. The event starts at 12 noon on Sunday and will also be held at Smith Chapel.