Author: Casey Ryan, C’93
In just over a month, Alumni Weekend will be upon us. The campus will be alive with energy as our seniors and soon to be graduates greet family members, loved ones, and friends to campus to commemorate their achievements. Of course, many of our alumni will return to Penn to celebrate their reunions whether it is 5 years or 75 years since they graduated.
Can’t you feel the excitement?
Penn’s staff are definitely excited for your return! However, it is an enormous undertaking: setting up tents all over campus, coordinating schedules, reconfirming rain plans, and planning every event to be special, memorable, and perfect for our alumni. Each one of us plays multiple roles to ensure that the weekend is filled with educational lessons, thrilling social parties, and family-focused fun.
Hamilton Village is all Red and Blue
One of my roles as a cog in the well-oiled Alumni Weekend machine is to prepare the music for the classes assembling in Hamilton Village (a.k.a. Superblock) during the 11:45 AM Parade Line-Up. I have no delusions of grandeur. I’m just a fellow alumnus, working for Penn, who gets songs on an iPod and hits shuffle. This combination of music, people catching up with old friends and parade anticipation makes for one celebratory atmosphere. However, Classes of 1973 – 2011, I’d like to enlist your help to make it better! While I’ll be setting up the song list with current hits, I wanted to ask for your suggestions.
Getting ready for the parade
When you were graduating, what were you playing to get you excited and energized? I was listening to a mix tape (long since lost in a move, I think) that included “This Is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan, TLC’s “Creep,” and Madonna’s “Human Nature” as I donned my gown, lathered myself with sunscreen, and walked out the Superblock (…err Hamilton Village) by the early morning call time.
Lining up with the 20th reunion banner
But better yet, what were you dancing to at the senior picnic or at the formal? What did you get the jukebox to play at a Senior Screamer? What happy, upbeat, energetic song reminds you of your college years? Let me know, so I can add them to the song list.
Showing their Penn pride
Tweet me and Penn Alumni your song suggestions using the following format: “Song” by Artist @IrishWombat @PennAlumni #ParadeMusic #PennAW #PennYYYY. To recap: send the song and the artist, the hashtags: #ParadeMusic and #PennAW (so we can follow the list), as well as #Penn + your four digit year, so alumni can search the music requested by their fellow classmates.
Marching to the class picnics
Just as an example, mine would look like this: “This Is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan @IrishWombat @PennAlumni #PennAW #ParadeMusic #Penn1995 (under 140 characters!)
One picture before heading off
I can’t promise you that your song will play, but I will add it to the song list. Keep your fingers crossed when I hit shuffle.
Frankly Penn 