(Edmonton) The University of Alberta welcomes back all graduates for Alumni Weekend, Sept. 22 to 25, to reminisce and reunite on campus. From lectures to tours, socializing and of course the famous Tuck Shop cinnamon buns, Alumni Weekend has something for everyone, says Sean Price, associate vice-president (alumni affairs).
"There are almost 60 events happening, starting with the Recognition Awards on Thursday. It's a great time to come back to campus and re-connect with fellow alumni," said Price.
New this year is The Stargazer event, which was designed to appeal to a young audience. The event is a late-night party with live DJ, delectable bites and smooth drinks in the new Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science. Drawing inspiration from the interdisciplinary nature of the new centre, The Stargazer event will include rocket launches, live acrobatic performances and installations from both arts and science.
"We wanted to try something different this year in honour of the 84,000 alumni who have graduated just in the past 10 years. The Stargazer party is an event unlike anything we've done before and we're excited to be in the new CCIS building," said Price.
Also new this year is the Big Top Tuck Shop in Quad., Be sure to stop in for one of the famous cinnamon buns and a coffee for just $3. Hang out in the Tuck Shop Friday and Saturday to hear from distinguished alumni and alumni award winners, and take in the sounds of the Be Arthurs, Democrafunk, The Collective West and Marie-Josée Ouimet. Hop on a bicycle to power the party and burn off some cinnamon bun calories. The full lineup can be found at http://bit.ly/puxlxT.
Familiar favourites such as the dinner and dance, lectures, campus tours and faculty and group-specific events are all part of the weekend's busy lineup.
And of course, join the University of Alberta in celebrating achievements of our alumni. Thirty-eight of the U of A's finest will be honoured for their achievements on Thursday night at the Winspear Centre.
This year's distinguished alumni award winners-the highest honour given-are:
• John Godel, '53 BSc, '55 MD, a University of Alberta professor emeritus in pediatrics. He is a physician highly respected for his contributions to pediatric health care in remote Canadian and African communities and for his research on vitamin D as protection from a host of health conditions.
• Claire Martin, '95 BSc, an award-winning weather forecaster and educator. She has had a profound impact on weather reporting in Canada and around the world.
• Tom Radford, '66 BA, a distinguished documentarian, who has played a pivotal role in Canada's film industry, inspiring an entire generation of filmmakers.
• Marguerite Trussler, '69 BA, '70 LLB, and Francis Price, '75 LLM are highly respected for their leadership in the legal profession and in the arts community.