Make Alumni Weekend part of your weekend Sept. 5-8

Cirque de Soleil performers, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, and a dunk-the-dean fundraiser are just a few of the exciting highlights of the 2019 UCalgary Alumni Weekend.

Running from Thursday, Sept. 5, to Sunday, Sept. 8, Alumni Weekend will be an experience to remember for everyone from current students to new graduates, longtime alumni and other community members.

“We’re thrilled to welcome everyone to campus as we celebrate alumni through sports, entertainment and one-of-a-kind experiences,” says Michael Sclafani, associate vice-president of Alumni Engagement and Partnerships.

“This year, we focused on creating a schedule that allows participants to customize their experience and make Alumni Weekend part of their weekend.”

The festivities kick off on Thursday, Sept. 5, with a special lunch for alumni who are also members of the university’s faculty and staff. This event is new to the schedule and features costumed characters from Cirque du Soleil’s Luzia.

That evening, Alumni Weekend kicks into high gear as we fete six leaders and innovators at the 2019 Arch Awards. This annual celebration recognizes aspiring alumni who’ve made significant contributions to their field and to their communities and is the UCalgary Alumni Association’s highest honour.

On Friday, Sept. 6, alumni will come together with community members and current students at the Alumni Block Party, just ahead of the Dinos Football Kickoff game. The carnival-like fun zone will host games, photo booths, a barbecue, and the always-popular dunk-the-dean fundraiser in support of the Student Emergency Fund. Then, head into McMahon Stadium to watch the Dinos take on the University of Manitoba Bisons.

On Saturday, Sept. 7, the main and downtown campuses will host a number of fun and interesting sessions covering topics such as fake news, neuromyths in child development, virtual reality, and professional blunders. A highlight is the keynote speaker event, a lunchtime conversation between alumna and New York Times investigative journalist Susanne Craig, BA’91, Hon. LLD’19, and Chancellor Deborah Yedlin. Along with two other Times reporters, Craig won a Pulitzer Prize earlier this year for investigating President Donald Trump’s finances.

To close out the festivities, Alumni Weekend takes to the road on Sunday, Sept. 8, for the inaugural Chancellor’s Ride in support of the Chancellor’s Scholarship Fund. The ride winds for 40, 80 or 113 kilometres (depending on your stamina) through Kananaskis Country.

“Whether alumni join us for part or all of the weekend we know our guests will be able to plan an amazing weekend that works for them,” says Sclafani. 

Make Alumni Weekend part of your weekend Sept. 5-8. Register now.