Slide Show from Homecoming:Click on small photos to enlarge, then click through the slide show. |
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| Watch President Liebowitz’s talk to alumni about recent developments at the College. |
Hundreds of alumni returned to campus during Homecoming 2013 to participate in events, enjoy a thrilling Middlebury football game, and reconnect with the College on a cool and breezy autumn weekend.
Among the festivities were receptions for alumni and guests; planning sessions for reunion classes; an open house at 118 South Main Street where creativity and innovation, community engagement, social entrepreneurship, and MiddCORE are at the fore; an arts discussion between Professor Jay Parini and PBS journalist Jeffrey Brown; and student and alumni panel discussions.
On Saturday morning President Ron Liebowitz updated alumni about how Middlebury is defining a liberal arts education for the 21st century. There were alumni leadership workshops, film screenings, a new storytelling event called “Cocoon,” and open houses at the Organic Farm and 2011 Solar Decathlon House. Also in abundance was music — jazz, a capella, and chamber music performances all weekend-long, capped off by dancing into the wee hours at the Black Pearl Ball in Coltrane Lounge.
At the opening reception for the new Squash Center, President Liebowitz said the spectacular, nine-court facility – and the new Field House under construction – are the first buildings in the history of the College to be fully funded by donors. “We started this project and said it would not go forward until we had commitments in hand — $46 million for the field house and squash center combined — so thank you to all the donors. We did that without financing, without loans, and we’re very proud of that.”
With an audience of about 150 people on hand for Squash Center reception, the president also thanked the parents of current and former squash players for coming to the event. “It’s wonderful to see this building completed,” he said enthusiastically, “and it is exciting to conceive of how it will be used in the future.”
Homecoming would not be complete without a football game, and the 2013 contest against Trinity College did not disappoint. Under partly cloudy skies with nearly 2,000 fans in Alumni Stadium, the lead exchanged hands six times before Middlebury went out in front, 27-24, with a minute left to play. Trinity threated to score again, but the Panther “D” held firm, thus ending the visitors’ 14-game winning streak and giving Middlebury (5-1) a share of first place in the conference.
Sunday’s activities included brunch at Carr Hall, an open house at the Snow Bowl, and a Halloween family event at the Mahaney Center for the Arts, as Middlebury bid adieu to its alumni and friends.
With principal photography by Todd Balfour, photography at Bread Loaf by Jennifer Kiewit, and reporting by Robert Keren