J school grads reunite, remember, rejoice
Not every alumnus was able to attend, of course, but those who made it to the journalism alumni reunion Sept. 27 and 28 seemed happy to be there.
"It was evident from the opening reception that this was a special event," said Rich Claussen, a reunion committee member. "Here was a group of people who all shared a common experience at Nebraska. The time spent together, however, was anything but common."
Alumni attending got a taste of both the old and the new: They got to catch up with old friends and got to see the J school's new home, Andersen Hall. Members of the Journalism Student Advisory Board conducted tours for visitors on Friday evening before the reception at the building.
"It was wonderful to see the new Harold and Marian Andersen Hall," said Lynn Morian Grasz, a 1966 graduate. "I remember having classes in Burnett Hall and Nebraska Hall. There is NO comparison to the new facilities."
Gerald Warren, an NU journalism graduate and press secretary for President Richard M. Nixon in the 1950s, spoke at the Saturday night dinner.
During the day on Saturday, visiting alumni could participate in tours of the state capitol, led by capitol architect Bob Ripley, or tours of the campus, including the new addition to Memorial Stadium. Campus tours were led by Rachel Sprengel, a journalism major who works in the Admissions Office.
Alumnus Phyllis Beck, who graduated in 1943, represented one end of the spectrum of those attending. Ashley Anderson, who graduated in May 2002, represented the other.
Claussen said, "It was interesting to watch elder alums marvel at the effect and benefits that technology have had on our profession. It was also fun to see the young people soak in and feed off the collective wisdom and experience of our older graduates."
That opportunity to reconnect with friends and also find so much in common with alumni from different eras was at the heart of the reunion, Grasz said. She added, "I'm inspired by the caliber of students currently studying mass communications. It's obvious the COJMC is still a world class institution."
The congeniality among the 150 or so alumni, former faculty and current faculty who attended the weekend events was "fantastic," said Sue Ranta, one of the committee members. In fact, many wanted to "do it again in five years," Ranta said.
The alumni board took that advice - almost. They voted to plan another reunion in six years, in 2008, to celebrate 85 years of journalism excellence at UNL.
Peggy Rupprecht, president of the Journalism Alumni Board, reminded her fellow grads of their responsibility to the college: "As graduates, we all have a stake in the future success of the J school. I hope this reunion reminds alumni to continue giving their time, talent and treasure to support the college."
