Young Alumni Celebrate Reunion at Exclusive Happy Hour

May 24, 2010

On Saturday, May 22, more than 80 young alumni and guests gathered at The Park, an upscale venue in Manhattan’s trendy Meatpacking District, for the Reunion Rendezvous at The Park, an exclusive event for St. John’s University’s recent graduates as part of Alumni Reunion Celebration 2010.

Photo Gallery

The graduates of the last decade felt immediately at home in The Park’s Red Room, coincidentally decorated in a fashion appropriately reminiscent of one of the traditional colors of the University. A festive party atmosphere prevailed as guests were served wine, sangria, beer and a variety of delicious hors d’oeuvres, including grilled chicken and mango skewers, mini meatballs with salsa verde, pesto pizza with mozzarella and fresh ricotta, margherita pizza, and wood oven roasted vegetable skewers.

Music was in the air as a hip DJ provided a mix that included current sounds as well as a sampling of tunes that were popular during the past 10 years.

For many of the attendees, this was their initial participation in an activity created specifically for young alumni.

“This is my first time out and I’m having a great time,” said Dina Castner ’09CPS. “This really is a great way for young alumni to connect with each other and the University. The venue is beautiful and vibrant and the group seems to be having a wonderful time.”

“I think this is a great event for young alumni,” agreed Jacquelyn Torres ’10Ed. “I've really enjoyed sharing the St. John's experience with other recent graduates. My sister is here with me tonight and she's an ’05 graduate, so I've gotten to meet a lot of her old friends and classmates. It's nice to share a connection. I'm looking forward to attending events like this in the future and even joining the Young Alumni Committee.”

Having attended a number of similar events in the past, Jonathan H. Crisol ’08TCB knew that this was an activity he didn’t want to miss. “I'm really glad St. John's decided to start hosting events like this, and in particular this one for Reunion,” he remarked. “It's a great way to reconnect with the University and with old classmates, and to even meet new people. Hopefully, this will become an annual tradition, because it's truly a great way to celebrate with other young alumni.”

“This party is excellent,” said Susan E. Strong ’99MBA. “The Young Alumni Committee has done a fantastic job putting this event together for Reunion. There's no better way to celebrate.”

Many attendees took advantage of the opportunity for social and professional networking with graduates from classes other than their own. “I've already met people from the Class of 1999, so it's not just about having fun but networking as well,” noted Chenele Francis '10TCB. “The venue is beautiful, the ambience is very nice and it's definitely a great turnout.”

At the end of the evening guests received a special St. John’s Young Alumni T-shirt as a reminder of their unique status as important members of the St. John’s family.