Over 3,300 MIT alumni and friends representing more than 75 class years returned to campus during Tech Reunions 2015, held June 4-7.
Reunions attendees enjoyed four days of MIT celebration that included 160 events including the 118th annual Tech Night at Pops, the late-night Toast to Tech, special programs for graduate alumni and The Cardinal and Gray Society, and a Technology Day program focused on the changing nature of security and privacy.
On Friday, Alumni Association President Don Shobrys ’75 and the 50th reunion Class of 1965 continued a long-standing tradition of leading the MIT Commencement procession into Killian Court. The ceremony featured Megan Smith ’86, SM ’88, the chief technology officer of the United States and the 22nd MIT alumnus/ae to serve as guest speaker at MIT Commencement. Read more about her speech.
For the 118th year, MIT alumni and friends gathered for Tech Night at Pops — the official kickoff of Tech Reunions Weekend. This year’s Pops event featured a piano concert from newly-graduated John Bowler ’15 and performances from MIT professor and composer Evan Ziporyn and MIT’s Gamelan Galak Tika orchestra.
Technology Day 2015, “Private Lives in an Interconnected World,” explored the changing nature of security and privacy. Moderated by MIT Vice President of Communications Nate Nickerson, the panel included five MIT faculty: political scientist Nazli Choucri; Akamai founder Tom Leighton PhD ’81; physicist Marin Soljacic ’96; MIT Cybersecurity Policy Initiative Director Daniel Weitzner; and MIT Data Design Lab Director Sarah Williams MCP ’05.
The newest members of the Cardinal and Gray Society, the Class of 1965, enjoyed a post-Commencement luncheon, a Saturday evening President's Reception at Gray House, a gala dinner at the Marriott Cambridge Hotel, and a Sunday-morning farewell brunch.
The 40th reunion group, the Class of 1975, enjoyed a Friday-evening reception with President Reif and his wife, Christine, at the Media Lab and a Saturday night dinner at Masseh Hall.
The 25th reunion group, the Class of 1990, took part in a Friday night barbecue in the Kresge Oval, dinner on the top floor of the Media Lab, and a Sunday morning farewell brunch at the Gray House.
At the Technology Day luncheon, the Alumni Association announced total reunion giving from all classes of more than $30 million, highlighted by more than $11 million from the Class of 1965, more than $6 million from the Class of 1975, and more than $1 million each from the Class of 1990 and the Class of 1995. The newly graduated Class of 2015 set a new record for participation with a rate of more than 87 percent. Total reunion giving from all classes, as of June 8, reached $30,654,091.19. Gifts received by June 30 will be counted toward final reunion and annual totals.
