Alumni celebrated Colgate traditions and campus progress.
More than 2,000 guests arrived on campus June 1–4 for Reunion 2023, where alumni and friends celebrated lasting friendships, Colgate’s academic heritage, and the progress underway as part of the Third-Century Plan.
One visible sign of that progress, construction of the Benton Center for Creativity and Innovation, provided an opportunity to offer visitors a different view of Taylor Lake — while the University has traditionally located reunion tents on Whitnall Field, the weekend’s new hub was the area between Oak Drive and Willow Path, dubbed Tent City.
Viewing campus from a new angle, guests enjoyed favorite reunion traditions, including Reunion College sessions.
At the Alumni Council Awards Ceremony, alumni and guests celebrated specific individuals who have strengthened Colgate through service and accomplishment. Honorees included recipients of the Maroon Citation, Ann Yao ’80 Young Alumni Award, entrepreneur and humanitarian of the year, and the Wm. Brian Little ’64 Award for Distinguished Service.
“This is what makes Colgate so special,” noted ceremony emcee and Alumni Council President Susie Becker Gould ’03, “Colgate alumni and friends gathering together, celebrating new and time-honored traditions.”
Throughout the weekend, alumni from various student organizations — including OUS, Swinging ’Gates, Theta Chi, Phi Delta Theta, LGBTQ+ initiatives, and the Alumni of Color Organization — also had the chance to reconnect.
Alumni celebrated milestone reunions with dinners in various locations on campus. In honor of their 50th reunion, President Casey hosted a special gathering for members of the Class of 1973 in the Class of 1965 Arena. In his remarks, he thanked the alumni for their record- setting attendance and philanthropy — and shared how their continued participation will help Colgate achieve its Third-Century goals.
“Colgate is dynamic. Our boundless energy is a point of distinction. Paired with the loyalty of our alumni, it gives us the capacity for excellence,” he said. “And that is what the Third-Century Plan is all about: making Colgate the most excellent version of itself, a force in higher education that makes alumni proud — and makes the rest of the world take notice.”
