Sept. 23 - 24, students, faculty and alumni assembled on campus for Homecoming Weekend, giving many former Geneseo students opportunities to share their own experiences with students and expressed opinions of the changes at Geneseo.
Former science majors gathered at the Integrated Science Center for the Celebrating the Sciences event, where they were able to attend the panel sessions in biology, geology, chemistry and physics as panelists, keynote speakers or participants.
“The ISC renovation] was actually very well done,” said Dr. William Piccione, a thoracic surgeon and owner and director of the Vein Care Center in Oak Park, Ill. A 1975 Geneseo alumnus, Piccione majored in biology.
“Physically, you’ve got this beautiful new structure that we didn’t have,” he said.
Piccione mentioned that he was most impressed by the attention Geneseo professors are able to show to their students.
“Even in the large classes they are able to foster you along,” he said. “At some of these big schools, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd.”
Piccione also attended the Seventh Annual Career Connections Brunch on Saturday, where students and alumni were able to move from table to table and talk about education and careers.
Chuck Lamb, a 1972 alumnus, also attended the brunch and said he considered it a way of giving back to the Geneseo community.
Outside of the academic functions, the weekend also featured a variety of sporting events. Men’s soccer and women’s field hockey, men’s and women’s lacrosse and women’s softball all had games that were followed by picnics. Over 200 students and alumni participated in the Fifth Annual Friday Knight 5K Race/Walk.
Co-captain of the lacrosse team when he was at Geneseo, Lamb also attended the Lacrosse Alumni Game. Despite many fond memories, Lamb said he recalled the uproar after the shooting at Kent State in 1970 more than anything.
“We never finished the second semester of sophomore year because of Kent State,” he said. “They canceled the last couple of weeks of classes, the last couple of games.”
Former fraternity and sorority members were able to get together with the current members of their Greek organizations for celebrations and reunions. Former college athletes were recognized during a hall of fame dinner and induction ceremony. Even the local bars recognized the return of the alumni with special happy hours.
“I’ve never left campus,” Lamb said. “I cherish those relationships [that I made].”