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Founder’s Day 2009 wasn’t just the 161st birthday of Virginia Alice Cottey Stockard, it was also a great time! There was, of course, plenty of screaming, laughing, singing and a few tears, but in the end, it was a great weekend where classmates and current students could interact and share the traditions they love so much.
On Friday was the traditional
fiesta dinner followed by class
reunions at different locations
on campus. Returnees eagerly
await the serenade by current
Cottey students in their DJs and
Baby Blues. As the seniors led
rousing renditions of Cottey
songs like Mary Margaret Truman,
most of the alumnae could be
seen singing right along.
Saturday was a full day,
although the schedule was
rearranged to make it easier for
alumnae to participate in a
larger variety of events. After
a continental breakfast, reunion
classes met on the steps of Main
Hall for group photos.
Immediately following the photo
time was the Reunion Luncheon
featuring the introduction of
the Alumnae Citation Award
Winners and the State of the
College address by Dr. Judy
Rogers.
This year’s Citation Award
Recipients are listed below.
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Free time to wander campus, along with a reception at President’s House, was scheduled between the luncheon and the Homecoming Celebration. This flipping of events (luncheon and celebration) allowed alumnae to get dressed up nicely for the photos and luncheon early and then change into more casual clothes for the homecoming and the Supper and Sing later that evening.
The Homecoming Celebration took
place in the Auditorium. The
Celebration is a way for reunion
classes to share a favorite
memory or song with the other
alumnae in attendance. It is
also an opportunity for the CCAA
to share the work of the Alumnae
Association, introduce the Dow
Scholars for 2008-09, and induct
members of the Class of 2009
into the Cottey College Alumnae
Association. There was also a
presentation from the Enrollment
Management staff on how Cottey
alumnae can be a critical link
in recruiting students.
In the evening, it was back to
Raney for one of the favorite
traditions of Founder’s Weekend:
Saturday Night Supper and Sing.
Current students join alumnae at
dinner to sing favorite Cottey
songs. Classes take turns
singing favorites from their
college days and occasionally
teaching the younger classes one
or two songs lost over time.
After the Supper and Sing, it
was off to class reunion sites,
or as was more likely on
Saturday, to the Chellie Club
for a Chellie shake.
In the end, it’s the friendship
and fellowship that keep alumnae
coming back to Founder’s. If
your class year ends in a 5 or
0, you’ll want to make plans to attend the next Founder’s Day Weekend, March 26-28, 2010.
