Author: Nicole Oddo, C’05
A few weekends ago, alumni had a chance to gather for Homecoming Weekend – an event that I block out in my calendar at the beginning of every year.
I usually start the weekend by attending the Penn Alumni Award of Merit Gala. Check out the video of the opening of the Gala’s award ceremony below.
This event is an amazing celebration of alumni achievement and is always inspiring. It is a great chance to see friends, mentors, and meet new people. Having had my class (2005) win the David N. Tyre Award for Excellence in Communication last year for our 5th Reunion, it was very impressive to see that the class of 2006 was able to shatter all previous records (including ours). This healthy competition helps motivate us for our 10th reunion.
I particularly love the Club Award of Merit and the opportunity to meet other club leaders around the country. This year, the Penn Alumni Club of Los Angeles was recognized for their great achievements. Whenever I can make it out to LA, I am definitely planning my trip to include one of their many exciting events.
Possibly the most inspiring part of the evening is the individual awards for Young Alumni and Lifetime Achievement. I have the pleasure of knowing a few of the winners and I can attest to their outstanding contributions.
The Gala energizes me every year to continue my work for Penn. After a rousing rendition of the Red & Blue, you have a chance to mingle over food and drinks while catching up with old friends and making new ones.
While this may not be the first event alumni think of for the festive Homecoming weekend, it is and will continue to be one of my favorite events.
To see photos of the event, go here.
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