45th Reunion

Thursday, June 4

9:00 A.M.–5:00 P.M.

Pre-Reunion Class Tours

Classmates have organized several tours for those arriving earlier on Thursday: 

• Kayaking on the Charles (9:00 A.M.–11:30 A.M.), Mark Gluck
• Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University (12:30 P.M.–3:00 P.M.), Joe McDonough
• Harvard Square: Past, Present, Future (1:00 P.M.–2:30 P.M.), Cara Seiderman
• Harvard Art Museums (2:30 P.M. and 3:30 P.M., 50 minutes), Ruth Milkman & Mary Schneider
• Houghton Library (2:30–3:30 P.M., tentative), Barb Shubinski
• Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East (3:30–4:30 P.M., tentative)

To explore on your own, check the individual Harvard Museums for their hours, exhibits, and tours, or go to Harvard Visitor Center to register for University walking tours.  Please note: you must coordinate your own transportation to these tours.  
 

4:00 - 11:00 p.m.

Check-in at Headquarters

Please come to headquarters to check in when you arrive on campus. You will receive your name badge, favor, additional Reunion materials, and your House/dorm room key and assignment, if you are staying on campus. 

Coffee and tea available 8:00 A.M.–3:00 P.M. Thursday–Saturday.

Parking is complimentary at 52 Oxford Street, as well as (on Friday only) at the Soldiers Field Garage at 111 Western Avenue.

6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Dinner with Sing-A-Long/Jam Session/Hootenanny

After ten years away from one another, we’re getting back together in style. Musical style. Classmates Rich Bashner, Russ Gershon, Chris Owens, David Rothman, Siri Smedvig, and anyone who wants to bring an instrument will lead us (and our guests) in a carefully-planned spontaneous sing-a-long/jam session/hootenanny featuring all the hits from The Great HR1981 Songbook. This includes pop tunes of our youth and anyone else’s youth. 

There will also be spaces for quiet conversation.

Enjoy a casual dinner of sliders (portobello mushroom, pulled pork, and fried chicken), along with a cold antipasto spread, dessert buffet, and beer and wine. Perfect for mingling!

Note:  9:00 P.M. is a hard stop; a recommended off-campus late-night location is TBD.
 

Friday, June 5

8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Check-in at Headquarters

Please come to headquarters to check in when you arrive on campus. You will receive your name badge, favor, additional Reunion materials, and your House/dorm room key and assignment, if you are staying on campus. 

Coffee and tea available 8:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M. Thursday – Saturday.  

Parking is complimentary at 52 Oxford Street, as well as (on Friday only) at the Soldiers Field Garage at 111 Western Avenue.

8:30 - 9:00 a.m.

Coffee Connection

Bring your favorite morning beverage & nibble, and connect with other arriving classmates.

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Our Next Act: Living Well in Retirement

Discussion with a panel of classmates on different aspects of our future lives:

• Living with intention and purpose. 
• Using current medical knowledge and proven alternative therapies to extend an active life.
• Dealing with the bumps in the road: declines in health and caretaking challenges.

10:30 a.m.

Alumni Parade Line-up

11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Harvard Alumni Day Parade & Program

All Harvard alumni are invited to join the Harvard Alumni Association for the fifth annual Harvard Alumni Day, a day for and in celebration of Harvard’s vibrant global alumni community! The 156th Annual Alumni Association Meeting will include a keynote address, remarks from President Alan M. Garber, and the celebration of the 2026 Harvard Medalists. 

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Harvard Alumni Day Yard Party

Join classmates and fellow alumni for a festive gathering in the Yard, featuring food, beverages, and activities. 

2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Harvard Art Museums Open House

Reconnect with fellow alumni and explore the galleries at your own pace. Stop by the Alumni Welcome Table in Calderwood Courtyard for a special giveaway and for information about alumni contributions featured throughout the museums.

3:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Shared Interest Group Meetups

Shared Interest Group (SIG) meetups, and other alumni-organized mini-reunions. 

3:00 P.M. & 4:30 P.M.

Afternoon Symposia Sessions

• From the Yard to the World: Harvard Alumni in Public Service 
• Harvard & America 250 
• Stories from Fellow Alums 
• Work on Climate and Sustainability at Harvard: Meeting the Moment at the Salata Institute
• Kempner Institute: Unlocking Intelligence (4:30 P.M.)

3:30 p.m.

Radcliffe Institute Open House

Light refreshments will be provided in Fay House, selections from the Radcliffe College archives will be on display in the Schlesinger Library, and the Institute’s current gallery exhibitions will be on view.

5:00 - 11:00 p.m.

Shuttle Bus for Evening Events

Buses will transport classmates directly to the Treehouse for the evening program from Science Center Plaza at 5 P.M. Buses will depart approximately every 25 minutes thereafter, routed via the 52 Oxford Street Parking Garage.

Parking is complimentary at 52 Oxford Street, as well as (on Friday only) at the Soldiers Field Garage at 111 Western Avenue.

5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Poetry Reading and Book Fair

Many American poets have either served on the Harvard faculty or have studied with that faculty. HR1981 is no exception, having produced some of the strongest poets publishing today. Come hear several of them recite their work. Buy copies of their award-winning books, along with those of other classmates in all genres. Sharpies will be available for inscriptions.

7:00 - 11:00 p.m.

Class Gala: Dinner & Dance

Come join us for our reunion gala, and catch up with old classmates and make new friends. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres with open bar will be followed by a sumptuous meal. Don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes to celebrate! (We’ll have a DJ.) Cocktail attire suggested.

Saturday, June 6

8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Check-in at Headquarters

Please come to headquarters to check in when you arrive on campus. You will receive your name badge, additional Reunion materials, and your House/dorm room key and assignment, if you are staying on campus.  

Coffee and tea available 8:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M. Thursday – Saturday.

Parking is complimentary at 52 Oxford Street.

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Classmate Projects: Initiatives with Vision and Breadth Session 1

• Lisa Davis:  Our Minds Were Always Free
  An entertainment lawyer, Lisa wrote an exploration of how African American innovators and artists have fought for, and often won, the rights to own and benefit from their own work.
• Ruth Milkman and Saul Perlmutter:  Civil Discourse and Depolarization 
  Since HR1981’s 35th reunion, classmates have explored ways to improve discourse in our country.  Ruth has worked with an evolving team of classmates to create a scalable working prototype for online, pseudonymous, voice-based interaction. Saul has written about the importance of critical thinking and civil discourse in a polarized world and incorporated this work in his teaching.
   

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Classmate Projects: Initiatives with Vision and Breadth Session 2

• Bruce Hochstadt:  Detainee Education and Workplace Support
  Bruce and a Harvard Club of Chicago team created an education program for Cook County inmates, enrolling over 300 detainee students and 60 alumni volunteers. Bruce received the HAA’s Outstanding Alumni Leadership Award in 2024.
• Jon Roberts:  My 50-Year Hunt for Yellow Pigs
  In 1976, Jon attended the Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics, a program for highly motivated high school students.  Previous attendees (“yellow pigs”) revisit the program to support current students.  Jon directed and his wife, Ming-I Huang, produced the film Hunting Yellow Pigs.
   

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Glimpses

Glimpses was invented by HR1981 to help us get to know each other better, as a class. You’ll hear classmates’ 5-minute talks about transformations, discoveries, adventures, and poignant moments.  Between the talks, we’ll enjoy photos and videos of classmates’ creations.  All Glimpses are personal, and all speakers are classmates who have not presented at a reunion.

12:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Field Day Class Luncheon

Come join your classmates for a BBQ lunch with an open beer and wine bar and yard games. After you eat, head into Harvard Yard for more games and activities with the other Reunion classes. Suggested dress code is casual. See you there, rain or shine!

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Rehearsal for Memorial Service

Rehearsal for the 45th Reunion Choir, led by choir director Andy Clarkson ’81. Contact: Susie Kendall.

2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Memorial Service

We gather to honor our deceased classmates in a non-denominational service. Readings and music will feature classmates, including the 45th Reunion Choir.

3:30 p.m.

Class Photo, followed by Primal Scream

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Class Conversations

Connect with classmates in smaller groups. Pick one session. Topics may include:

• Seriously, Let's Play! Improv Games: Intrigue~Surprises~Silly Scenarios
• The Bill of Rights in 2026
• On the Move:  Traveling (or Relocating!) to New Places in Retirement
• Connecting Classmates’ Non-profits:  Working for Change
• Reviewing Your Past:  Writing Your Memoir or Family History
   

7:00 - 11:00 p.m.

Class Dinner & Party

Relax and mingle with your classmates to beautiful piano music. Enjoy cocktails with open bar and a delicious dinner as we celebrate another memorable reunion. Cocktail attire suggested.

Sunday, June 7

8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Housing Check-out

Check-out will be available in the lobby of the House/dorm where you are staying. All House/dorm keys must be dropped off by 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 7. Keycard access will be cut off after this time.

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Farewell Brunch and Survey

Instead of multiple choice, we will ask for some blue book–worthy responses in our HR1981 45th Reunion Survey.  The answers should be thoughtful, uplifting, and entertaining. Join us to hear your classmates' Harvard memories, the highlights of their past 45 years, and what they hope the future brings.