REUNION SCHEDULE
We have an exciting schedule planned for our reunion weekend! As a reminder, this is a recommendation … you are of course welcome to do whatever you want at any time! There will also be plenty of time for catching-up and for informally-organized activities around campus and New Haven!
May 21st: Schedule is near-final! Info about fun things to do at our Branford Reunion HQ (lawn games, card and board games, our photo wall, etc.) or elsewhere on-campus are summarized in a new page about Reunion Activities. The page also gives includes detail about classmate-organized reunion activities. And feel free to email us with any questions!
Last Updated: May 21st
UPON ARRIVAL
Central Registration and Class Headquarters
2:00 PM - 11:59 PM (Thurs, 5/25)
8:00 AM - 11:59 PM (Fri, 5/26)
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM (Sat, 5/27)
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Sun, 5/28) [Class Headquarters Only]
When you arrive, please go to Central Registration at the Golden Center on Park Street to check in and receive reunion schedules, wristbands, name tags, and campus access cards. After you’ve checked in, visit class headquarters in Branford College. Housing keys will be distributed in Branford if you are staying on campus.
Central Registration: Thomas J. Golden, Jr. Center – 268 Park Street
Class Headquarters: Branford College – 74 High Street
THURSDAY, MAY 25TH
“The New Commons Experience” Dinner
5:00 PM - 9:00 PM (Thurs, 5/25)
Enjoy an optional a la carte dinner for all classes in Commons in the style of what today’s students experience. Sign up as part of your reunion registration prior to the special requests deadline (May 5); no walk-ins will be permitted.
Yale '08: Meetup at BAR New Haven / ’08+'98+'03 Reunion Kick-off at BAR
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM (Thurs, 5/25)
Join your classmates from ’08 (and our peers in ’98 and ’03) for a casual welcome reception at BAR Pizza for traditional New Haven-style thin crust brick oven pizza and BAR’s own fresh microbrewed beer. Complimentary pizza, salad and soft drinks. Cash bar.
FRIDAY, May 26th
YAA Faculty Lectures and Tours
9:30 AM - 12:00 PM (Fri, 5/26)
Lectures by distinguished Yale faculty members and tours of campus highlights and new facilities. Sessions will be offered at 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
Yale '08: Family Hospitality Suite
8:00 AM - 11:59 PM (Fri, 5/26)
A place mostly intended for our families to come relax and get some snacks and refreshments throughout reunion weekend – though open to all! All snacks and refreshments are complimentary.
Branford College – 74 High Street Room: Branford Buttery (Branford Basement Map)
Receptions for All Classes - Cultural Houses and Resource Centers
3:30 PM - 5:30 PM (Fri, 5/26)
Join alumni from all classes for open houses at Yale’s cultural centers, the LGBTQ Resource office, and Yale Veterans/ROTC. Details will be added to the reunion schedule when confirmed.
- Asian American Cultural Center Reception – 295 Crown Street (3:30-5:30 PM)
- Afro-American Cultural Center Reception – 211 Park Street (3:30-5:30 PM)
- La Casa Cultural Reception – 301 Crown Street (3:30-5:30 PM)
- Office of LGBTQ Resources Open House – 135 Prospect Street (3:30-5:30 PM)
- Native American Cultural Center Reception – 26 High Street (3:30-5:30 PM)
- Yale Veterans Reunion Reception – 55 Whitney Avenue, 4th Floor (3:30-5:30 PM)
Welcome Back to Campus & Explore the Schwarzman Center
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM (Fri, 5/26)
Mingle with all reunion classes on all four levels of the Schwarzman Center! Snacks and beverages will be offered on multiple levels from the Underground to the President’s Room.
Yale '08: Cocktail Hour & Kid's Table
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM (Fri, 5/26)
Reconnect with classmates and friends in the Branford Courtyard while enjoying a beer, wine, and soda bar and our 15th Reunion specialty drink, the blue margarita. A kid’s table will also be available during this time.
Branford College – 74 High Street Room: Courtyard
Shabbat Dinner at Slifka Center
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (Fri, 5/26)
Enjoy a meal at the Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale in their newly renovated Kosher Kitchen. You may select this option instead of dinner with your class when registering, at no additional charge.
Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale – 80 Wall Street
Yale '08: Friday Dinner Under the Tent
7:30 PM - 9:30 PM (Fri, 5/26)
Relax into the first long weekend of summer with our class’s Al Fresco buffet under the Branford tent, alongside Friday happy hour. You won’t want to miss the delicious summer weekend dinner! (Attire: Casual)
Branford College – 74 High Street Room: Courtyard
Yale '08: Trivia and Friday Night Reception Under the Tent
9:00 PM Onward (Fri, 5/26)
Join us under the Branford tent for a casual night of classmate-led trivia and just catching-up with friends for this reception event! (Attire: Casual)
Branford College – 74 High Street Room: Courtyard
SATURDAY, MAY 27th
Morning Yoga for All Classes
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM (Sat, 5/27)
Start your Saturday morning (weather permitting) with a mixed-level class for all ability levels.No experience necessary; all ages welcome. See Also on Campus section for details.
Old Campus – 344 College Street Room: Courtyard
Yale '08: Saturday Breakfast
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM (Sat, 5/27)
Start your day with a Welcome Breakfast under the Branford tent before embarking on a fun-filled day of programming and activities.
Branford College – 74 High Street Room: Courtyard
Yale '08: Family Hospitality Suite
8:00 AM - 11:59 PM (Sat, 5/27)
A place mostly intended for our families to relax and get snacks and refreshments throughout reunion weekend – but open to all! All snacks and refreshments are complimentary.
Branford College – 74 High Street Room: Branford Buttery (Branford Basement Map)
Camp Bulldog Childcare Program – Session I
9:00 AM - 12:30 PM (Sat, 5/27)
YAA’s childcare program for kids ages 2 to 15 years old in the Lanman Center at Payne Whitney Gym, provided by Bright Horizons Family Solutions. Advance registration is required; in previous years, this popular program has been filled to capacity, so reserve early! Children will be divided into groups: preschoolers (ages 2-5), and school-aged children (ages 6-15).
A Morning at Yale
9:30 AM - 12:00 PM (Sat, 5/27)
Choose among faculty lectures, tours of campus highlights such as Newberry Organ and new facilities, and family-friendly activities. Sessions will be offered at 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
Community Service at Reunion
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM (Sat, 5/27)
Join the Classes of 1993, 1998 & 2008 and friends in building personal care kits for distribution to members of the New Haven community experiencing homelessness. Alumni volunteers may assemble the kits, write a note of encouragement, or decorate a card. Drop in on your own or bring friends and family to advance service in New Haven. Further information: barbara.mola@yale.edu or 203-432-1093. Samuel Priest Rose ’77 Social Justice Network Room, Dwight Hall, 67 High Street, Old Campus
Dwight Hall – 67 High Street Room: Social Justice Network
Yale '08: To the Tables Down at Mory's ... and Yorkside ... and Branford - Saturday Lunch
12:15 PM - 1:45 PM (Sat, 5/27)
Let the nostalgia come in full force! For Saturday, we’re proud to offer a choice of three locations for lunch: Mory’s (’08 has taken over the entire place!), Yorkside (’08 has a reserved section!), or the tent at Branford. Please plan to register for and have lunch at one of these venues, though you are welcome to visit more than one location.
All three options are included in your ticket fee, however if you wish to order additional food or beverages outside our 15th Reunion menus you may do so for an additional fee. When registering for our reunion, please indicate where you (and your guest(s)) will have lunch on Saturday as this will help determine meal counts for each location. (Attire: Casual or business casual)
Branford College – 74 High Street Room: Courtyard
Mory’s – 306 York Street (Attire for Mory’s on 5/27: Business casual recommended; casual allowed)C ourtyard
Yorkside Pizza – 288 York Street
Branford Tent:
- Sandwiches: Rotisserie Beef, Tuna Salad, Roasted Turkey Cheddar, Mediterranean Wrap
- From the Garden: Roasted Pepper and Potato Salad, Quinoa Tabbouleh
- Sweets: Cookies, Grain Bars and Fruit Squares; Whole Fruit; Organic Coffee, Decaf Coffee & Assorted TAZO Teas
- Free beer and wine
- Optional: Lunch tables by interest or region
Mory’s
- BBQ Pulled Pork, Crispy Onion, and Rolls
- Lemon-Herb Dijon Grilled Chicken
- Sesame Seared Tofu
- Black Bean & Corn Salad
- Garden Salad
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Watermelon
- Water & Lemonade/ Iced Tea Station
- Kids Menu available (Pasta with Meat Sauce, Butter + Cheese, or Red Sauce; Chicken Fingers and Fries; Burger and Fries; Tomato Cheese Pizza)
- Cash bar available – including Mory’s Cups!
(Attire for Mory’s on 5/27: Business casual recommended; casual allowed)
Yorkside
- Pizza and salads ready-to-go!
- A la carte ordering permitted (on-the-class) if you’re OK waiting and if you want something other than pizza and salad
- Free beer and wine
Classmates enjoying Saturday lunch in Branford have the option of meeting and catching-up with classmates based on interest or region. In addition to unmarked tables, several tables will include signs for the following.
Branford Lunch Tables by Interest:
- Serving and Leading Non-Profits
- Women in Leadership
- Field: Education
- Field: Finance and Consulting
- Field: Healthcare
- Field: Law
- Field: Non-Profit and Public Sector
- Field: Tech
Branford Lunch Tables by Region:
- Boston
- California – Northern
- California – Southern
- Connecticut / New Haven
- New York City (3 tables)
- Midwest US [Chicago, Cincinnati, et. al.]
- Southeast US [Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Nashville, et. al.]
- Washington, DC
YAA Shared Interest Groups Reception
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat, 5/27)
Join the YAA’s Shared Interest Groups staff and SIG alumni leaders from reunion classes to celebrate all of our participating SIGs.
Yale '08: CT Children's Museum Visit
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat, 5/27)
Calling all families, all the little ones, and all the young at heart joining us for reunion: spend part of Saturday afternoon visiting the CT Children’s Museum, headed by ’08 classmate, Jess Bialecki (SM). For this Yale-only event, tour the children’s museum at your own pace, join our other Yale families and little ones for mini-playdates, and stay for a story time around 3pm ET! Recommended ages 3-9, but plenty for toddlers, too! All children must be accompanied by an adult, and no food or drink is allowed in the museum. Admission is complimentary, though optional donations are encouraged. Please note that transportation is not provided, all visitors must get to and from the museum on their own.
Yale '08: Salon Discussions
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat, 5/27)
Join our class for a series of classmate-led salon discussions on topics of great interest to our class! Come hear from our classmates about some of the most pressing causes and issues to which ’08’ers are devoting themselves.
Humanities Quadrangle (formerly HGS / Hall of Graduate Studies) – 320 York Street
- Session 1 (2:30-3:00 PM): For a More Secure and Peaceful World with classmates Alexandra Suich Bass (Sr. Correspondent for Politics, The Economist), Jessica Kimball (Inclusion, Diversity, & Equality Leader), Kristine Berzina (Managing Director, Geostrategy North, German Marshall Fund), David Litt (Author and Former Obama Speechwriter), Sean Walbridge (President, Remote Aid International)
- Session 2 (3:00-3:30 PM): Strengthening Journalism Against Present Threats with classmates Michael Birnbaum (Reporter, The Washington Post), Nikki Greenwood (Independent Writer for NY Times, The Atlantic, Boston Globe, National Geographic, and others), Jen Ortiz (Deputy Editor, The Cut, New York Magazine), and Lily Rothman (Managing Editor, TIME)
- Session 3 (3:30-4:00 PM): Preparing Our Children for Tomorrow / Giving Our Children a More Equitable Youth Than Our Own with classmates Brian Edwards (Director, USA Mathematical Talent Search), Mike Friedman (Director of Capstone Program, The Lawrenceville School), Josh Krug (Director of Jewish Life and Learning, Kehillah Jewish High School), Ryan Villanueva (Chief Education Officer & Co-Founder, Best Delegate), and Carol Yu (Vice President, Schools, NewGlobe)
Camp Bulldog Childcare Program – Session II
2:30 PM - 11:30 PM (Sat, 5/27)
YAA’s childcare program for kids ages 2 to 15 years old in the Lanman Center at Payne Whitney Gym, provided by Bright Horizons Family Solutions. Advance registration is required; in previous years, this popular program has been filled to capacity, so reserve early! Children will be divided into groups: preschoolers (ages 2-5), and school-aged children (ages 6-15).
President's University Update
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM (Sat, 5/27)
President Peter Salovey welcomes you back to campus, offering his review of Yale today.
A Celebration of Yale Singing
5:00 PM - 6:15 PM (Sat, 5/27)
After a three-year hiatus, the Celebration is back! Singers from all classes will present a jamboree celebrating Yale’s incredible music tradition. Whiffenpoof and Whim ’n Rhythm alumni groups will lead off the program, followed by Glee Club alumni performing Yale songs and a rousing rendition of “Bright College Years.” Glee Club Director Jeffrey Douma will conduct. Handkerchiefs will be provided!
Yale '08: Cocktail Hour & Kid's Table
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM (Sat, 5/27)
Before class dinner, we once again have a class cocktail hour to get the Saturday night events started. Reconnect with classmates and friends in the Branford Courtyard while enjoying a full bar. A kid’s table will also be available during this time. (Attire: Casual or business casual)
Branford College – 74 High Street Room: Courtyard
Yale '08: 15th Reunion Class Dinner
7:30 PM - 9:30 PM (Sat, 5/27)
Come dressed to have a good time and feast your taste buds on a spread of eclectic, signature dishes from around the world for our “Voyage”-themed class dinner! With good company and delicious food, the fully-stocked bar and 15th reunion class dinner is one you can’t miss! (Attire: Business casual recommended, tie optional)
Branford College – 74 High Street Room: Courtyard
Yale '08: Reunion Dance Party!
9:30 PM Onward (Sat, 5/27)
Celebrate our time since college with all our classmates Saturday night. We’ll have a photo wall, DJ and dancing, and the open bar til late night will make you feel like it’s senior week all over again! (Attire: Casual or business casual)
Branford College – 74 High Street Room: Courtyard
SUNDAY, MAY 28th
Yale '08: Family Hospitality Suite
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Sun, 5/28)
A place mostly intended for our families to come relax and get some snacks and refreshments throughout reunion weekend – though open to all! All snacks and refreshments are complimentary.
Branford College – 74 High Street Room: Branford Buttery (Branford Basement Map)
Yale '08: Sunday Breakfast
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM (Sun, 5/28) [Updated time]
Updated Time (9-11 AM): Indulge on a Mediterranean breakfast and enjoy one last meal under the Branford tent to close out our 15th Reunion weekend.
Branford College – 74 High Street Room: Courtyard
University Church Worship
10:30 AM - 11:45 AM (Sun, 5/28)
Join Yale’s ecumenical Christian community for Sunday worship, with music and prayers for alumni who have passed away.