Close to 300 attendees came to the second annual O’Dowd Grand Reunion: Party on the Quad held on May 18, 2019.
This event provided an opportunity for alumni to connect with classmates, friends and beloved faculty throughout the decades. Not deterred by rain, each class celebrating a reunion had its own designated gathering space in the gym.
The gym was transformed into a huge celebratory space, complete with music, games, delicious food and beverages. “Having a Grand Reunion was an awesome thing to do, bringing students back together and honoring them for attending O’Dowd.
“It was wonderful to see all the faces after 50 years and to see the school – it has grown and it is awesome. I am proud to have graduated from O’Dowd,” Nyla Backster Bowers ’69 said.
For some alumni, this was the first time they’ve returned to O’Dowd since graduation. They, along with other alums who wanted to take a walk down memory lane, were given a campus tour led by student Dragon Ambassadors.
“To be on campus to share food, memories, updates and laughs with faculty and classmates felt like being with family,” Nancy Wilkens Fitzpatrick ’89 said.
Several retired and current faculty members joined in the festivities, including Jack Dold, Jim Negri ’68, Thien Pham, Tim Newman, Tom Tyler and Fran Warmerdam.