Alumni returned to Geneseo for the fall 2013 Homecoming Weekend from Sept. 27 to Sept. 29 and Geneseo hosted multiple events to welcome back those that came to celebrate their time at Geneseo. Events included the Friday Knight 5K, the ninth annual Career Connections Brunch, Greek Hall of Fame Induction and Greek Life Celebration, Sports Hall of Fame Induction, Geology Field Trips as well as several sporting events, such as lacrosse and softball alumni games and alumni swim meet.
The final run in “The Geneseo Trio”
On Sept. 27, the Geneseo track and field program hosted the seventh annual Friday Knight 5K Race/Walk. This was the third and final event in “The Geneseo Trio,” a Geneseo 5-kilometer run series, which included the Oak Tree Half Marathon and 5K and the Ramon Rocha 5K Run/Walk.
According to senior Carrie Levinn, race coordinator and high jumper for Geneseo’s women’s track and field team, alumni often return to campus for the purpose of participating in this event, which attracted approximately 250 individuals.
The top male and female finishers received awards, as well as the following top five runners of each gender. The largest team also received an award for participation. The winner of this year’s race was Bobby Henchen ‘11, who won the 2012 Friday Knight 5K as well.
“I like supporting Geneseo cross-country and track because I ran in college,” Henchen said. “It is also the last race in ‘The Geneseo Trio.’ This was the first year I was able to run all three races.”
Race entry fees and proceeds go toward the Geneseo track and field and cross-country teams. “The more money we get and put into the foundation, the farther we can go,” Levinn said.
Career Connections Brunch emphasizes networking
Geneseo also hosted the ninth annual Career Connections Brunch on Saturday Sept. 28, at which students spoke to alumni about the paths that their careers have taken since they graduated from Geneseo. The brunch also provided an opportunity for initial interactions between students and alumni that could establish professional networks.
At the brunch, school psychologist Michael Munella ‘80 advised students to be as flexible as possible when looking for the right career.
“Keep your options open,” he said. “The farther you go into your studies the more you expand your options.”
He said that the education he received from Geneseo professors has bearing on his job today.
“They were demanding, but I learned a lot, and I still to this day abide by the things I learned from them,” he said.
Two join Greek Life Hall of Fame
Also on Saturday Sept. 28, the Inter Greek Council hosted its Greek Life Celebration and honored newly inducted alumni into the Greek Life Hall of Fame. Established in the spring of 2007, the Greek Life Hall of Fame currently has 28 members, including this weekend’s two most recent inductees.
“These awards are designed to honor those Geneseo Greek alumni or advisors who have made a lifetime commitment to advancing the fraternal values of lifetime learning, leadership, personal development, brotherhood and sisterhood and service to their chapter, college and/or their community,” said Tracy Gagnier, assistant director for alumni relations and one of the primary organizers and speakers at the induction. “They should be role models for collegians and alumni alike and give generously of their time, talent and resources.”
Gagnier said that inductees to the hall of fame are chosen through an annual nomination process in which an all-alumni email is sent out asking that fraternity brothers, sorority sisters and relatives nominate alumni they believe to be deserving of the award.
According to Gagnier, when selecting the individuals to be inducted, the hall of fame coordinators keep in mind those organizations that have anniversary years coming up because it would provide a “good push” for alumni to come back to campus.
At this year’s ceremony, two new members were inducted into the Greek Life Hall of Fame: Professor of English Tom Greenfield, faculty advisor of the Alpha Delta Epsilon sorority and first-ever inductee to have never been in a sorority or fraternity, and Mary Tsikalakis Bistrovich ‘93, Alpha Kappa Phi member who took over as advisor of the sorority while working full time after her predecessor stepped down suddenly.
The weekend festivities ended on Sunday Sept. 29 with a softball alumni game.