With alumni from the past 40 years represented, the Undergraduate Government of Boston College's first-ever Presidents and Vice Presidents Reunion on Friday and Saturday was a time for those alumni to return to BC to share their experiences with other former UGBC officials and the current president and vice president, Jenniffer Castillo, A&S '08, and Dan Sievers, A&S '08.
The BC Alumni Association, the Office of the Dean for Student Development (ODSD), and the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs sponsored the two-day event. It started Friday with a dinner and remarks by former Dean for Student Development and special advisor to the Alumni Association Bob Sherwood and Castillo in the Heights Room in Corcoran Commons.
"I think this event has the potential to not only benefit my term at UGBC, but also the future of UGBC and BC student life," Castillo said in an e-mail. "We are constantly addressing the same student life issues at BC, and listening to how UGBC dealt with them in the past will help us and future UGBC administrations know how to best address them in the future, so that we can ultimately benefit the student body."
While the idea for a reunion is something past leaders have considered, Castillo credited Sherwood for making the reunion a reality.
Saturday's proceedings were held in the Murray Room in Yawkey Center. Moderated by Sherwood, the morning featured a roundtable discussion and reflections with panelists and past presidents Michael Ryan, BC '69, Duane Deskins, BC '76, Jill Alper, BC '87, Richard Culliton, BC '91, and Grace Simmons, BC '05. Executive Vice President Patrick Keating continued the day with a presentation of the master plan, and, in true Superfan spirit, ended the afternoon with a viewing of the ACC championship football game against Virginia Tech.
In the roundtable discussion alumni commented on their UGBC experiences as a microphone passed among the tables. "It's amazing to me how much we have in common as leaders," said Simmons, UGBC president for the 2004-2005 school year. Alumni related on common issues like pushing for a student center, more representation for gay and lesbian students, race relations, blue safety lights, and rules regarding kegs on campus.
2008 Woodie Awards
