Signature reunion events are highlighted in green.
Saturday, May 13
9-10 A.m.
Make Way for Your Legacy
Women’s Building Formal Lounge
Make way for your legacy. Join the Office of Planned Giving for a reception including morning refreshments and a brief presentation on how planned gifts can help you create a legacy at WashU, perhaps one that is even greater than you may have imagined. Members of the planned giving team will also be available to answer your specific questions.
Business or casual attire is recommended.
Capacity is limited. Advanced registration is recommended.
9-10:30 A.m.
Danforth Campus Tour
Tour starts and ends at the Reunion Tent on Mudd Field
From the new construction on the east end to renovations in Mallinckrodt Center, previously known as SUPAC, you and your classmates will get to experience and explore the next chapter of your beloved WashU community. Led by either a current student or a WashU staff member, you will get to relive a bit of your college experience while celebrating the milestones of the next generation.
Please wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate business or casual attire.
Capacity is limited. Advanced registration is recommended.
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Chancellor’s Luncheon
Reunion Tent on Mudd Field
Enjoy a luncheon hosted by Andrew D. Martin, WashU’s 15th chancellor. During the lunch the chancellor will share a university update, including overviews of the new Here and Next strategic plan and the Make Way fundraising initiative. He also will offer a toast to all reunion celebrants.
11 a.m. | Cocktails and connections
11:30 a.m. | Luncheon begins
12 p.m. | University update and toast with Chancellor Martin
1 p.m. | Luncheon concludes
Business casual attire is recommended.
Cost: $30 per person
11 a.m.-1:30 P.m.
Catholic Student Center Open House
Catholic Student Center, 6352 Forsyth Boulevard
Stop by to see our newly renovated facility and reunite with Catholic Student Center staff from the past and present.
Business or casual attire is recommended.
1-2 P.m.
Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum Tour
Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
Tour the Kemper Art Museum with a student educator for an in-depth exploration of several works from the museum’s renowned permanent collection. View highlights in 20th century abstraction in a range of mediums and recent acquisitions by contemporary artists. Participants will engage in group discussions throughout the tour. Stick around afterward to explore the special exhibitions on your own.
Business or casual attire is recommended.
Capacity is limited. Advanced registration recommended.
1:30-3:30 P.m.
Athletics and Recreation Welcome
Sumers Recreation Center
Visit the Department of Athletics and Recreation. Meet some of our current scholar champions and coaches, see our new state-of-the-art facilities embedded in the heart of the spaces you remember from your time at WashU.
Business or casual attire is recommended.
1:30-3:30 P.m.
ResLife Reunion
Residential Life, South 40
Welcome home! Return to the South 40 to see some of our new spaces as well as those you remember from your time as a student. Meet our team and some of our current resident advisers and Congress of the South 40 leaders.
Business or casual attire is recommended.
1:30-3:30 P.m.
Student Union, Campus Life, and Sorority & Fraternity Life Reception
Danforth University Center
Meet current students and Campus Life staff and hear about social life on campus. Share your memories together with the Campus Life team.
Business or casual attire is recommended.
3-4 p.m.
Art on Campus Tour
Tour will start at the Florence Steinberg Weil Sculpture Garden in front of the north entrance to Weil Hall.
See artworks installed throughout the Danforth Campus as part of the Art on Campus Tour, led by Leslie Markle, curator for public art. The tour begins at the Florence Steinberg Weil Sculpture Garden in front of the north entrance to Weil Hall and includes stops at Bauer Hall, Sumers Recreation Center, and Hillman Hall to see works by acclaimed contemporary artists Jaume Plensa, Katharina Grosse, Ann Hamilton, Ayşe Erkmen, Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, and Dan Graham.
Please wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate business or casual attire.
Capacity is limited. Advanced registration recommended.
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Welcome Back Bears Reception
Whittemore House
Enjoy an evening reconnecting with classmates at the beautiful Whittemore House. This casual reception is open to alumni celebrating their 55th to 75th reunions and includes cocktails, gourmet food stations, and music.
Cocktail attire is recommended.
Complimentary valet parking will be available.
Cost: $35 per person
Sunday, May 14
9:30-11 a.m.
Mother’s Day Jazz Brunch Presented by the Black Alumni Council
Clark-Fox Forum
Help commemorate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Black Alumni Council (BAC) at our Mother’s Day jazz brunch featuring live jazz music. Founded in 1983, the BAC seeks to connect Black alumni with one another and the university. Today there are more than 8,000 Black WashU alumni worldwide. Come celebrate this milestone anniversary with us.
All reunion celebrants and their guests are invited.
Business casual attire recommended.
11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Mass at the Catholic Student Center
Catholic Student Center, 6352 Forsyth Blvd.
Join the Catholic Student Center for mass on Sunday morning.
Business casual attire is recommended.
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Central West End Neighborhood Walking Tour
Complimentary Parking in the East End Garage. Shuttle will pick up and drop off on the Brookings Loop on the East End.
Cross paths with literary giants like T. S. Eliot and Kate Chopin and marvel at opulent Gilded Age mansions while learning about the significant changes the area has seen over the years. And of course, a visit to the Central West End wouldn’t be complete without a quick stroll through the enormous Cathedral Basilica! This private guided tour will be one to remember.
Please wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate business casual or casual attire.
Capacity is limited. Advanced registration is recommended.
Cost: $15 per adult, $10 per child
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
More Than the Arch: Downtown St. Louis Shuttle Bus Tour
Complimentary Parking in the East End Garage. Shuttle will pick up and drop off on the Brookings Loop on the East End.
From historical highlights (the Arch!) to hidden gems throughout north and south St. Louis, explore St. Louis and neighborhoods such as Carondelet and Dutchtown. In partnership with the Missouri Historical Society, your tour guide will take you out for a unique look at our architecture, history, and thriving communities, all in the comfort of a shuttle.
Business casual or casual attire is recommended.
Capacity is limited. Advanced registration is recommended.
Cost: $15 per adult, $10 per child
12:30-1:30 p.m.
The Science of Cats and the Future of Nature With Jonathan Losos
Jubel Hall, Room 120
Learn why Jonathan Losos, the William H. Danforth Distinguished University Professor and director of the Living Earth Collaborative, is teaching a course on cats and how it relates to the university’s efforts to conserve biodiversity and sustain life on Earth.
In January 2018, the Living Earth Collaborative formed as a unique partnership between Washington University, the St. Louis Zoo, and Missouri Botanical Garden in an effort to advance research, conservation, and education about the animals, plants, and microbes that populate our shared planet. At the same time Losos was working to create the collaborative, he also was beginning to study and teach about cats. In this presentation, Losos will explain how these two ventures are related.
Business casual or casual attire is recommended.
2-3 p.m.
The Maid of McMillan Film Showing Presented by John M. Olin Library
Brown Auditorium, Brown Hall
Come enjoy a film screening of The Maid of McMillan, a 15-minute silent film written and produced by WashU students in the Thyrsus Dramatic Club in 1916. Hear about grant-funded work to preserve and digitize the film, more about the film itself and WashU at the time, along with an update about activities of the still active Thyrsus Club.
Business casual or casual attire is recommended.
2:30-4 p.m.
Golden Bear Afternoon Tea
Goldberg Formal Lounge, Danforth University Center
Engage with our special guest and award-winning author, Edward McPherson, as you relish an elegant tea and afternoon conversation. We will toast to your impressive reunion milestone as you enjoy a variety of finger sandwiches, savory delights, a bit of WashU charm, and St. Louis hospitality prior to your evening party.
About Our Author
Edward McPherson, associate professor of English and director of English undergraduate studies, is the author of three nonfiction books: Buster Keaton: Tempest in a Flat Hat, The Backwash Squeeze and Other Improbable Feats, and The History of the Future: American Essays.
Goldberg Formal Lounge is located on the second floor of the Danforth University Center on the north side of the building, immediately off of the north elevator.
Business casual or casual attire is recommended.
6-9 p.m.
Golden Bear Class Party
The Solarium at the Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis
Join your fellow Golden Bear reunion celebrants as we close out your reunion weekend at the Solarium at the Ritz-Carlton. This unique indoor/outdoor space features a beautiful view of the city. Reminisce one last time with classmates over cocktails and dinner while enjoying live jazz music. This will be a night to remember with friends you will never forget.
Cocktail attire recommended.
Valet parking available.
$70 per person
Monday, May 15
7-11 a.m.
Golden Bear Breakfast and Commencement Ceremony
Reunion Tent on Mudd Field and Francis Olympic Field
Join the 50th reunion celebrants and families for a light breakfast, available beginning at 7 a.m. at the Reunion Tent on Mudd Field. Please be sure to arrive by 8 a.m. to be ushered to the reserved Golden Bear seating area at Commencement.
7 a.m. | Breakfast for reunion celebrants (50th and Golden Bear) and guests
8 a.m. | 50th reunion celebrant robing
8:30 a.m. | 50th reunion guests and Golden Bears proceed to reserved seating on Francis Olympic Field
8:30 a.m. | 50th reunion celebrants line up for Commencement procession
9 a.m. | WashU Commencement at Francis Olympic Field
11:30 a.m. | Post-Commencement Reception
Weather-appropriate business casual attire and comfortable shoes are suggested.
Additional Happenings
all events below are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.
WashU Commencement Information
Monday, May 15
Information about WashU Commencement 2023 including the calendar of events, school ceremonies, and the Commencement Festival following the Commencement Ceremony.
SATURDAY, MAY 13
African Modernism in America
Saturday, May 13 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
Organized by the American Federation of Arts and the Fisk University Galleries, “African Modernism in America” is the first major traveling exhibition to examine the complex connections between modern African artists and patrons, artists, and cultural organizations in the United States, amid the interlocking histories of civil rights, decolonization, and the Cold War.
Explore the Featured Exhibitions at John M. Olin Library
Saturday, May 13 | 9 a.m.-8 p.m. | John M. Olin Library
Stop by John M. Olin Library to explore the latest exhibitions featuring architectural history, Shakespeare, poet and alum Aaron Coleman, and more.
You are also welcome to visit all of the unique and updated spaces in Olin; self-guided tour information is accessible online and as paper copies in Olin Library.
Eubie! at the Black Rep
Saturday, May 13 | 8 p.m. | Edison Theatre at Washington University
Cost: $46-$51.25 per ticket, including fees
The Black Rep is offering Buy One Get One free tickets to all reunion alumni for this performance.
Promo Code: COMM23BOGO
Eubie! is a musical revue from the 1970s that taught Broadway audiences about Eubie Blake, a groundbreaking American musician and composer of the early 1900s. Blake helped break down racial barriers with his 1921 musical, Shuffle Along – the first Broadway musical written, directed by, and starring Black Americans. The show helped shape American musical theater as we know it today.
This production is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
SUNDAY, MAY 14
African Modernism in America
Sunday, May 14 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
Organized by the American Federation of Arts and the Fisk University Galleries, “African Modernism in America” is the first major traveling exhibition to examine the complex connections between modern African artists and patrons, artists, and cultural organizations in the United States, amid the interlocking histories of civil rights, decolonization, and the Cold War.
Explore the Featured Exhibitions at John M. Olin Library
Sunday, May 14 | 9-12 a.m. | John M. Olin Library
Stop by John M. Olin Library to explore the latest exhibitions featuring architectural history, Shakespeare, poet and alum Aaron Coleman, and more.
You are also welcome to visit all of the unique and updated spaces in Olin; self-guided tour information is accessible online and as paper copies in Olin Library.
Eubie! at the Black Rep
Sunday, May 14 | 3 p.m. | Edison Theatre at Washington University
Cost: $46-$51.25 per ticket, including fees
The Black Rep is offering Buy One Get One free tickets to all reunion alumni for this performance.
Promo Code: COMM23BOGO
Eubie! is a musical revue from the 1970s that taught Broadway audiences about Eubie Blake, a groundbreaking American musician and composer of the early 1900s. Blake helped break down racial barriers with his 1921 musical, Shuffle Along – the first Broadway musical written, directed by, and starring Black Americans. The show helped shape American musical theater as we know it today.
This production is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
MONDAY, MAY 15
Explore the Featured Exhibitions at John M. Olin Library
Monday, May 15 | 8:30-12 a.m. | John M. Olin Library
Stop by John M. Olin Library to explore the latest exhibitions featuring architectural history, Shakespeare, poet and alum Aaron Coleman, and more.
You are also welcome to visit all of the unique and updated spaces in Olin; self-guided tour information is accessible online and as paper copies in Olin Library.
African Modernism in America
Monday, May 15 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
Organized by the American Federation of Arts and the Fisk University Galleries, “African Modernism in America” is the first major traveling exhibition to examine the complex connections between modern African artists and patrons, artists, and cultural organizations in the United States, amid the interlocking histories of civil rights, decolonization, and the Cold War.