Alumni
Events and Reunions

Alumni and Reunion Weekend

Register now for Alumni and Reunion Weekend! May 3-4, 2024
 
We are looking forward to celebrating the classes of 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019.
 
All alumni, their families, parents of alumni and current and former faculty and staff are encouraged to join in Alumni and Reunion Weekend activities. Just look for "open to all" in the schedule below! 
Registration is now open! We kindly ask that you register yourself and your guest(s) for every event you plan to attend, including those that are listed as "complimentary". For the seated 50-Year Club and reunion class dinners, it is strongly recommended that you register in advance to ensure that we can comfortably accommodate everyone.
Questions about your reunion or alumni weekend? Please reach out to us at alumni@polytechnic.org or 626-396-6334.

Alumni and Reunion Weekend Schedule

Schedule subject to change. Please check back regularly for updates.

FRIDAY, MAY 3
50-Year Club Reception and Dinner
  • 4:30–5:00 p.m. Reception
  • 5:00–6:30 p.m. Dinner and Program
Open to alumni in the classes of 1974 and prior, complimentary.
The 50-Year Club recognizes Poly alumni who graduated 50 or more years ago. Join us as we celebrate our returning members and induct the class of 1974 in recognition of their 50-Year reunion. The Classes of 1944, 1949, 1954, 1959, 1964, and 1969 will also be celebrating their milestone reunions.

Class of 1984 Get Together
7:00 p.m. | Home of Katie Shea High ’84
Members of the Class of 1984 are invited to join for tacos and margaritas at the home of Katie Shea High ’84.

Class of 1989 Friday Dinner
6:00–9:00 p.m. | Home of Ceinwyn Jones Clark ’89
Members of the Class of 1989 are invited to kick off reunion celebrations with a class mixer hosted by Ceinwyn Jones Clark ’89 and Steve Clark at their home.

Class of 1999 Friday Get Together
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. | Home of Kelly (Poland) Self '99
Kelly (Poland) Self '99 will host classmates at her home in San Marino.

Class of 1999 Get Together
8:00 p.m. | Magnolia House
Members of the Class of 1999 are invited to reconnect at Magnolia House. Enjoy a night reminiscing and making new memories. A perfect evening to catch up and celebrate the years gone by!

Class of 2004 Get Together
5:00–8:00 p.m.
Members of the Class of 2004 are invited to a casual, family friendly meetup at a local Pasadena brewery. Venue TBD. Please register if you are interested in attending. Your class committee will share more details as the date approaches. 

Class of 2014 Get Together
Woolway-Zieger Family Home
Members of the Class of 2014 are invited to a casual class get-together hosted by the Woolway-Zieger family.

Class of 2019 Get Together
6:00 p.m. | Kings Row Gastropub
Members of the Class of 2019 are invited to kick off reunion celebrations with a casual class happy hour.

Upper School Spring Musical — Cinderella
7:00–9:30 p.m. | Garland Auditorium
Open to all. Find more information here.

SATURDAY, MAY 4
Continental Breakfast
9:30–10:30 a.m. | Grace Henley Patio
Open to all, complimentary.
Start the day catching up with your fellow alumni from all classes over a casual breakfast.

Alumni Roundtable
10:30–11:30 a.m. | Founders Hall
Open to all, complimentary.

Featuring panelists:
  • Joselyn Lai ’09, Co-founder & CEO at Bedrock Energy. Joselyn’s startup develops autonomous drilling technologies to unlock scalable geothermal heating/cooling for real estate decarbonization.
  • Lisa Fay Matthiessen ’78, Sustainable Buildings Manager at Amazon. Lisa is an architect with expertise in sustainability, working to further the Climate Pledge at Amazon.
  • Justin Worland ’10, Senior Correspondent at TIME covering climate change and the intersection of policy, politics and society.
Moderated by John Horn ’78. John is a veteran arts journalist and the entertainment correspondent for the National Public Radio show 1A.

State of the School Update
11:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. | Founders Hall
Open to all, complimentary.
Join Head of School John Bracker to learn about Poly's current initiatives and future vision.

Campus Tours
Departing at 11:45 a.m. and Noon 
Open to all, complimentary.
Join Upper School Student Ambassadors for a walking tour of campus.

Picnic
11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. | Debbie Reed Courtyard 
Open to all, complimentary.
All alumni, their families, and parents of alumni are invited to join us for the annual alumni and reunion weekend picnic. Featuring fun kids activities hosted by the Poly Extended Program (PEP), Handel's Ice Cream, and more. See photos from last year's event.
 
All Class Reception and Class Photos
6:00–7:30 p.m. | Grace Henley Patio
Reunion classes will kick off their celebrations by mingling over drinks and light bites. Class photos will be taken at this time: 
 
2024 Reunion Class Photo Schedule
Class of 1974                      6:30 p.m.
Class of 1979                      6:35 p.m.
Class of 1984                      6:40 p.m.
Class of 1989                      6:45 p.m.
Class of 1994                      6:55 p.m.
Class of 1999                      7:00 p.m.
Class of 2004                    7:05 p.m.
Class of 2009                    7:10 p.m.
Class of 2014                     7:15 p.m.
Class of 2019                     7:20 p.m.
 
Class Reunion Dinners
7:30–10:00 p.m. | North Campus
Reunion celebrations for the classes of 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019. See photos from last year's festivities.

Class of 1979 After Party
Following the class dinner | Varga Family residence
Members of the Class of 1979 are invited to continue the celebration over drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, coffee and more food! Hosted by Alex ’79 and Linda Varga.

Class of 2004 After Party
10:00 p.m.
Members of the Class of 2004 are invited to continue reunion celebrations after the class dinner at a Pasadena venue TBD. Please register if you are interested in attending. Your class committee will share more details as the date approaches.

Upper School Spring Musical — Cinderella
7:00–9:30 p.m. | Garland Auditorium
Open to all. Find more information here.

SUNDAY, MAY 5
Class of 1974 Brunch
10:00 a.m. | The Langham Huntington
Join classmates for a casual, no host farewell brunch to close out the reunion festivities. 

Class of 1979 Brunch
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. | Babcock Family Residence
Members of the Class of 1979 are invited to a class brunch hosted by Sarah Babcock ’79.

Class of 1984 Brunch
11:00 a.m. | Colette Pasadena
Members of the Class of 1984 are invited to continue celebrations over dim sum.
Class of 1999 Family Luncheon
11:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m. | Home of Ezra ’99 and Marisa Callahan
Members of the Class of 1999 are invited to a family-friendly luncheon hosted by Ezra ’99 and Marisa Callahan. It's a wonderful opportunity for the class to gather with their families, share stories, connect kids, and enjoy a delightful meal together in a welcoming atmosphere.

2024 REUNION COMMITTEES

1974
Polly Ellis
Loring Huebner Guessous
Greg Hamlin
Jim Olds
1979
Sarah Babcock
Parker Kressen
Elizabeth Jelliffe Messinger
Ann Mitchell
Cheryl Nickel
Amy Peckham
Alex Varga
Bryan Wilson

1984
Stephanie Fox
Nick Griffin
Scott Lindus
Joyce Mitamura
Karen Mitchell
Loren Tarr
Ann-Marie Villicana
1989
Amy Olson Duerk
Chris Gidden
Pier Kuehn
John Yen
1994
Minnie Ingersoll
Kenny Lao
Dave Raichlen
Hilary Thomas
Amber Tyson
Blanca Fromm Young
1999
Scott Davids
Nick Degani
Traci Tsai Gadow
Carolyn Gan
Sumner Hollingsworth
Matt Lawler
Mikki Mares-Tamayo
Betty Picinic Norheim
Jethro Rothe-Kushel
2004
Claire Sadler Burton
Jess Liu Eisenlohr
Jenny Lee
Jason Nagata
John Pearson
Britt Olson Philyaw
Kate Woods
2009
Ally Latta Clark
Chris Welch
2014
Will Genske
Caroline Harvey Lockerby
Charlie Patterson
Emily Woolway
2019
Lucas Humayun
Ray Fleming
Betsy Foker
Ava Miralles

Are You Ready for Your Reunion?

Update Your Contact Information
If you are in a reunion year and haven't heard from us in a while, please contact us at alumni@polytechnic.org to update your information and/or your email subscription preferences. 
Get Involved
Make your reunion a success! There are many ways to get involved:
  • volunteer for your reunion committee
  • make a meaningful gift in honor of your Poly reunion
  • share our posts on Facebook and Instagram
Join PolyConnect
Get the reunion started early! Find your classmates by joining Poly’s exclusive networking platform, PolyConnect. In addition to finding classmates and fellow alumni in your region or sector, Polyconnect enables you to join a group, participate in forum discussions, or sign up to mentor students or alumni.
All alumni and current Poly juniors and seniors are encouraged to sign up. Take advantage of the opportunity to build connections with the worldwide Poly community!

Alumni and Reunion Weekend FAQ

List of 10 frequently asked questions.

  • How do I know if I’m celebrating a reunion?

    This year we are celebrating the classes of 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019.
    Don’t see your class year here but would like to organize a reunion for your class or club, interest group, etc? Contact us at alumni@polytechnic.org.

  • I’m not celebrating a reunion, am I invited to attend?

    Yes! The Alumni and Reunion Weekend events on Saturday morning and afternoon (May 4, 2024) are open to all alumni, their families and current or former faculty and staff. This includes the Continental Breakfast, Alumni Roundtable, and the annual Picnic. These three events are all complimentary, but we request that you register in advance.

    Please note, there are reunion events that are only open to specific classes.

  • Do I need to register in advance?

    Yes please! Weekend registration will open in March. We kindly ask that you register yourself and your guest(s) for every event you plan to attend, including those that are listed as "complimentary". For the seated 50-Year Club and the reunion class dinners, it is strongly recommended that you register in advance to ensure that we can comfortably accommodate everyone.

  • How much does it cost to participate?

    While many of the events are free to attend, some reunion events have an additional fee such as the class reunion dinners, etc. You will be able to see the price of each event when you register!

  • What is the suggested dress for the weekend?

    Casual dress is suggested for daytime activities. Business casual or festive attire is recommended for the 50-Year Club and class dinners but please carefully consider your footwear as some events will take place on the grass. And of course, Poly orange is always welcome!

  • I'm traveling from out of town. Where should I stay? 

    These are some accommodations in or near Pasadena. Please note that the Poly does not recommend or endorse any specific property on this list.

  • Who can I contact with questions regarding making a gift?

    If you have questions about making a gift to Poly, or questions about what will count in your class’ reunion gift total, please reach out to giving@polytechnic.org.

  • How do I make a gift?

    The easiest way to make a gift is with a credit card online at polytechnic.org/donate. You can also learn more about other methods, including gifts by check, wire transfer, stock, mutual fund transfers, and corporate matching funds.

  • What counts in my Class Reunion Gift total?

    Gifts made between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024 will count towards the class reunion totals.
    Class Participation will include classmates who have made a gift between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024. Gifts to all funds at Poly count towards your class reunion dollars and participation totals. 
    Each year the Alumni Association awards the Willis Stork Award to the class with the highest participation and the Founders Cup to the class with the highest dollar amount raised for the Poly Fund. Gifts received by May 4 at 12 p.m. will count towards the giving awards announced at the Saturday night Reunion Class Reception.

Alumni Roundtables

2023: Artificial Intelligence
View this timely discussion about artificial intelligence with John Battelle ’83, entrepreneur, journalist, professor, and author, Pra Chandrasoma ’05, Vice President and Associate General Counsel at BENlabs, and Todd Terrazas ’05, Founder, President, and Executive Director of AI LA, moderated by John Horn ’78.

Read their bios.
2022: State of the Arts: Reflections on the Challenges, Inspiration, and Creative Process During and Post-Pandemic

Alumni in the arts, Deborah Brown ’73, Anna Christy Stepp ’94, DAA ’16, and Tania Verafield ’00 join moderator John Horn '78 for a roundtable discussion.
1030 E. California Blvd
Pasadena, Ca 91106
626-396-6300
communications@polytechnic.org

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