University of Miami - Ibis Yearbook (Coral Gables, FL)

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E Student Life

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Student Life

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ONCE UPON... mann, and Anthony Upshaw. Homecoming Week also marked the first black alumni reunion. According to Brenda Coleman, assistant director of Alumni Relations, the purpose of the reunion was to rekindle the interest of the black alumni. ttln past years, very few of these UM graduates had participated in the alumni events, and the Alumni Association would like to see more blacks at the eventsf said Mary Anne Capone of Alumni Relations. llThe black reunion is a way to encourage the blacks to get more involved and active in their University? said J oseph Pineda, direc- tor of Alumni Relations. Former students formed the idea and had spent several months planning the event. The alumni looked through back issues of the Ibis yearbook to identify black alumni. The proce ess of identifying the black alumni was tedi- ous and required several months to complete, Coleman said. According to Coleman, approximately 700 black alumni were identified and con- tacted. Of those, an estimated 200 wanted more information on the event. The response from the out-of-town alumni was positive and success was antici- pated. llWe are very confident that this will be successful and we will be able to mainstream the blacks into the University? Pineda said prior to the event. Some of the activities planned to the weekend were a presidential greeting, a black- tie dinner, a campus tour and a post-game Victory party. ttThis reunion is intended to be a time for friends to see each other again? said Capone. 21 Student Life