WHAT'S AHEAD? MELIORA 2001
A New Tradition in the Spirit of Sesquicentennial: October 12-14, 2001

Tyler Zachem '88, a member of the Trustees' Council of the College; Lou Montoulli, '62, also a member of the Trustees' Council; Trustee Lou Lange '70; Bob McCrory, director of the Laboratory for Laser Energetics; Mike Flanigan '72, and Trustees' Council member Howdy Pratt '60, '66 (PhD) donned yellow jackets as the winners of the Sesquicentennial Invitational Golf Tourney held at the Oak Hill Country Club. The tournament, the first event of Sesquicentennial Weekend, raised money for undergraduate scholarships. It will become an annual event-the Yellow Jacket Invitational-this fall as part of the College's yearly Meliora Weekend celebration.

Building upon the unprecedented success of the Sesquicentennial, the College has announced an annual October celebration for current students, faculty, alumni, parents, and friends.

"Meliora celebrations" will also include a series of high-profile regional programs in selected cities, which will bring quality programming to those unable to return to campus in the fall.

"Meliora celebrations will provide every College alumnus a reason to celebrate what Rochester is all about," says Thomas LeBlanc, the Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull Dean of the College Faculty. "Sesqui provided a model for tapping into and sharing those connections in ways that we want to see continue."

Reunion will remain the centerpiece of the campus event, with College faculty and students playing major roles. The ultimate goal of the program is to create a new College tradition that helps to build lasting spirit and connectivity among all members of the College "family."

Meliora celebrations will preserve key elements of the Sesquicentennial, but on a smaller scale. These include "star" quality speakers and entertainers, stimulating academic programs, and many social activities.

In the spirit of the Sesquicentennial, both regional and weekend Meliora programs will incorporate relevant programming on compelling topics such as education, health, finance, and science and technology in interesting venues for entertainment and social interaction.

A new tradition

Like other schools' "Founders' Days" or homecoming celebrations, Meliora 2001 will bring alumni, parents, students, and friends together to celebrate the institution and build school spirit.

The College currently has no equivalent tradition (apart from its recently reformulated Reunion program). Meliora Weekend (which will include Reunion, Homecoming, Family Weekend, and Regatta) and the related regional celebrations will give the College a thematic framework for building such a tradition.

The celebrations will provide opportunities for:

Alumni to remain connected between reunions;

• Alumni to be connected when they are unable to attend a reunion;
• Students to network with alumni;
• Students to build traditions as well as class and school spirit;
• Parents to gain a broader experience of their children's lives at Rochester;
• Faculty and deans to build relationships with alumni;

Families to share the Rochester experience.

MELIORA 2001 AND BEYOND In addition to Reunion, Homecoming, Family Weekend, and the Stonehurst Invitational Regatta, each fall's Meliora Weekend celebration will feature: "Star" speakers, including College faculty and alumni Entertainment, social events, and festivities State of the College/University addresses Academic programs showcasing the College, its faculty, and alumni Yellow Jacket Invitational golf tourney Children's programs College open houses, with faculty- and student-focused programs Affinity group activities, such as Greek-hosted festival, alumni choral performance, STING (Students Together in Networking Graduates) reunion, and alumni varsity games and gatherings STING as hosts Academic themes that change annually (the Meliora 2001 theme is "Freedom" Slater Society Luncheon For more information To learn more about Meliora 2001, contact: Alumni Relations & Development Fairbank Alumni House 685 Mt. Hope Avenue Rochester, NY 14627-8993 (716) 273-5888; (800) 333-0175 Fax: (716) 473-5739 info@alumni.rochester.edu www.rochester.edu/alumni

Meliora 2001 . . . "Freedom"

With the Sesqui as a model, the College will continue to seek a balance of topics and social and educational themes and actively involve volunteers, faculty, and students in events.

Each year, a major theme will be selected for the weekend program, providing ample opportunity for the College to showcase its expertise in a wide variety of topics.

The Meliora 2001 Weekend theme is "Freedom," and features high-profile programs in areas such as computer science, health, finance, politics, and the arts.

Regional events

Regional programs-called "Meliora Nights" in most areas-will be held annually in up to 12 major cities beginning this spring.

Just as the October program will become a campus tradition, Meliora Night events will become a tradition in the regions-"anchor" events during the year that everyone will want to attend.

College relaunches reunion

College Reunions have been revitalized as the flagship program for the College. Those who attended Reunion 2000 have seen-and enjoyed -the difference.

Reunion 2000 was the most successful one in University history with nearly 650 volunteers and 2,200 attendees.

Reunion weekends will be held each October so that alumni have optimal opportunity to reconnect with faculty and students, as well as classmates. (For more on Reunion 2000, see article.)

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