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Honoring tradition and recognizing the lifelong impact of their undergraduate years are high on the list of priorities for members of the Class of ’72 as they celebrate their 35th reunion this June.
“For me, it has always been important to realize that the connections started at Lafayette can still be present even if we are separated by years and miles,” says mathematics graduate Frank Julia Jr. ’72, a member of the reunion committee. “You do not have to see someone every day to maintain a relationship.”
Julia serves double duty as class correspondent and web administrator. He is looking forward to getting input from his classmates on what they’d like to see on the Class of ’72 web page.
“I don’t want to ever let the idea of my graduating from college just be a box I checked off in life,” he says. “The experiences, challenges I faced, accepted, and met, and people I spent time with are all part of who I am today. Continuing to remain active acknowledges the debt I owe to all of that.”
For economics and business graduate Edward Yakobitis ’72, class president and a member of the reunion committee, this year’s event is a chance to catch up with old friends.
“Reconnecting is the main goal,” he says. “I enjoy reminiscing with the guys and staying in touch with everyone. It’s also interesting to see what changes have occurred on campus.”
The class will have the opportunity to strengthen that camaraderie at the private class dinner open only to 1972 graduates. Yakobitis also is excited to see the different route for the parade, which will remain on College Hill.
Like many alumni, Julia expects the memories to come flooding back as soon as he sets foot on campus.
“I really look forward to coming back and seeing the changes and the stability of the campus,” he says. “I like seeing old friends and laughing at our memories as we seem to either remember them perfectly or not at all. Most importantly, I value the accomplishment I achieved with graduating from Lafayette. I really don’t think that there is any class that doesn’t hold some meaning for me. Some are high on my list because of what I learned, some because of the professor, others because of my classmates, and others because of what I learned about myself when I took the class.”