Photos by CNU staff photographers except where otherwise noted.
The 50th Reunion Weekend was a huge success!
The evening and dinner in the Alumni House were AMAZING.
Kudos to Baxter and the entire Alumni staff
as well as to the Dining staff.
No stone was left unturned to ensure that everyone had a wonderful time.
--Jan Giguere Clarke ('68)
Over thirty people attended the 50th Reunion of CNC's Class of 1968, held at Klich Alumni House. Attendees included class members; former faculty Bev Vaughan (1st basketball coach), Raoul Weinstein (1st track coach) and this writer (former English professor); guests of the above, several CNU administrators and staff, and of course the full staff of CNU's Alumni Relations Office, headed by Baxter Vendrick. The class photo above shows (L-R) Row 1: Donna K. Lass Carter, Nelson Baer, and Wade Williams; Row 2: Vera Knez England and David Scoggins; and Row 3: Jan Giguere Clarke, Donald M. Thomas, and Linda McKenna Sivilich.
The Alumni Relations Office, as always, provided a wonderful evening for all--from themed decorations such as the above to outstanding musical entertainment and five-star food. During the Cocktail Hour, the group enjoyed music provided by First Decader Ron Lowder, at the piano below, and baritone Steven Field (CNC, '16), who also sang during the meal.
Visitors during the Cocktail Hour included President and Mrs. Trible, Rector of the Board Scott Millar ('85) and wife Muriel ('88), Director of Advancement Adelia Thomson, and other CNU officials. The photo right, courtesy of Linda M.Sivilich ('68), shows Rosemary Trible (middle) with Linda McKenna Sivilich (L) and Linda's guest Ruth Thomas. Paul Trible also spoke to the group before the Tribles and others had to leave to attend another Commencement Weekend event.
The photo below, shot from the second floor, shows Alumni Relations Office Director Baxter Vendrick (center right) carrying the CNU mace, displayed at every commencement, as he prepares to explain its history and purpose to the group. An article on the mace is posted below on this website's Home page. The mace was made by the grandfather of CNU faculty member Dr. Sean Heuvel in 1977, to celebrate CNC's independence from William and Mary.
Another picture made from upstairs shows class member Vera Knez England (center, holding book) showing a group of us her 1968 Trident yearbook. Those 50-year-old student portraits evoked a lot of smiles and memories! Vera also had provided earlier a very important Daily Press article about Commencement 1968, which was copied and distributed at the reunion. This important piece of memorabilia will be posted elsewhere on this website soon.
CNU's current Alumni Society President Christopher Inzirillo ('09) officiated over presentation of the Honorary Alumni Certificates and the Pinning Ceremony. Shown left below is David Scoggins ('68) being pinned by his wife, Julia, who earned a B.A. in English at CNC in 1992. Shown right is the pin given to all of the class members (Photo courtesy of Claude Stanley, '63).
Both the dining tables and all other tables in the downstairs rooms of the Alumni House were decorated with these lovely spring flowers of red, pink and white shown below. Shown also is the 8-page Program, with 2 pages describing the Dinner Program and others listing class members, faculty, and other facts. Baxter Vendrick opened and closed the program and Dr. Lois Wright ('62), the first graduate of CNC, delivered the blessing. While we dined on a delicious spinach salad topped with strawberries, almonds and goat cheese with poppy seed dressing, the a cappella singers CNU Voices entertained us with two songs.
During the second course--char-grilled filet mignon with a pancetta and smoky blue cheese on a bed of smashed Yukon gold potatoes with asparagus and yellow squash--we were entered by singers Amanda Kight ('20) and again Steven Field ('16). The third course--Italian lemon cake with strawberries and blueberries--was followed by coffee and a champagne toast to the class. After brief speeches by this writer and Baxter Vendrick, the class members then went to the Great Lawn for the 8:30 Candlelight Ceremony.
During the Candlelight Ceremony, members of CNC's Class of 1968 shared the stage in front of the new Newport Hall building with student leaders of the Class of 2018, facing an audience of several thousand seated below. After a short program, members of the Class of 2018 (over 1300) gathered in front of the stage, all holding unlit candles. Two of our 1968 class members--Jan Giguere Clarke and Vera Knez England-- initiated the lighting of the candles, assisted by Student Assembly President Kenneth Kidd ('18), known to some of us as a student intern in the Alumni Relations Office. In the photo above, Vera (L, with white hair) and Jan (to her R) are standing on the viewer's left side of the stage, just behind the foliage. Visible behind them are a few more members of the 1968 class.
In the background in the above photo is part of Trible Library, adjacent to Newport Hall. This Candlelight Ceremony, signifying the transition from students to alumni, is always visually impressive. The candle lighting goes from person to person on the stage, and then down to the students on the lawn below, creating a sea of flickering candles. The white clothing the seniors wear increases the effect. Then the a cappella group CNU Voices, standing on the stage, leads the singing of the Alma Mater.
So ended another delightful, memorable Golden Friday 50th Reunion at CNU--the sixth one. All have been superior events, splendidly hosted and fully paid for by the impressive university that has grown from the little two-year branch of William and Mary. Our 1968 class members were also invited to attend the Saturday morning Commencement of CNU's Class of 2018, and some did so. Below are two photos of a few of them in the academic regalia provided for them, at no cost, by CNU. Both photos are courtesy of Jan and Ken Clarke.
Jan and Ken Clarke were glad to find this nearby shade tree before Commencement began. As the day grew hotter, they were glad also to be placed under a white canopy tent and provided water. The four in the photo below, under that same tree, are Jan, Donna Lass Carter, former track coach and math instructor Raoul Weinstein, and Nelson Baer.
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Published May 25, 2018
More 50th Reunion Photos: Class of 1968
Text by A. Jane Chambers
Photos by CNU staff
This group photo in the Alumni House includes the three former faculty who attended. Shown are (L-R) Linda McKenna Sivilich, Don Thomas, Jan Giguere Clarke, Donna Lass Carter, Vera Knez England (holding the sign), A. Jane Chambers (professor of English), Wade Williams, Nelson Baer, David Scoggins, Raoul Weinstein (instructor of math & 1st track coach), and Bev Vaughan (assistant professor of men's physical education & 1st basketball coach).
CNU President Paul Trible and wife Rosemary visited during the cocktail hour. In the above photo ((L-R) Rosemary Trible poses in the Alumni House Library with the two gentlemen who were providing musical entertainment for us during the cocktail hour--Ron Lowder and baritone Steven Field (CNU '16). First Decader Ron, who is also this website's webmaster, is a professional musician who played both piano and sax during that hour and Steven, a gifted singer, entertained us also during the dinner.
These remaining pictures were taken during the Honorary Alumni Certificates and Alumni Pinning Ceremony. In the above photo, Jan Giguere Clarke (standing, center)--who jumped the gun during the pinning part--elicited laughter from Donna Lass Carter (standing, left) and Jan's husband, Ken Clarke (seated, right).
The photo left above shows Assistant Director of Alumni Relations Monica Hill pinning Don Thomas. The Alumni Relations staff, as always, did an excellent job of organizing the reunion and being on hand during it to serve as needed the celebrating class members and their guests. The photo right above shows Nelson Baer being pinned by his wife, Kathryn Baer. Nelson has donated his 1968 program to the 1963 - 1970 collection of CNC's first Commencement Exercises programs, soon to be on display in the Alumni House.
Three Christopher Newport athletic greats together (L-R): Raoul Weinstein, CNC's first men's track coach--also previously an outstanding track star at Newport News High School; Wade Williams (tan suit coat), one of the first members of CNC's men's track team (nicknamed "Iron Man" by teammates); and Bev Vaughan (first men's basketball coach at CNC--previously assistant men's basketball coach at William and Mary. No-- Raoul is not trying pull off Wade's left ear; he is trying to put Wade's alumni pin on his lapel. Bev is wondering why he doesn't get a pin too. The pinning ceremony was one of the many fun times at this Golden Reunion of CNC's Class of 1968.