Alums return home to Midd for festivities

Author: Rachael Jennings

Who knows what "Ratty" really stands for? But at around 10:30 p.m. during Saturday night's Tent Formal, the lead singer from the band the Grift beckoned "Ratty" '93 to the stage, at which point a middle-aged man in his formal attire entertained the crowd with a rousing rendition of Michael Jackson's classic "Billie Jean."

Ratty proceeded to dance crazily, inspiring smiling flocks of his fellow alumni to jump around like they were back in college.

Well, they were, weren't they?

Why is it that so many alumni choose to revisit Middlebury's "walls of ivy" and "paths of beauty" for Homecoming Weekend? For many, it is a way to reconnect with old friends. The weekend acts as an excuse to visit with cherished companions preoccupied with busy lives and hectic schedules.

Laurie Jordan '79, who works as chaplain for the College, described these friendships. "Friends here are instant, and in that sense it is the easiest time in your life," she said. "You miss that after you leave. I mean, in college, when you have a birthday≠≠ - boom - everyone is there."

Every alumnus agrees that friendships made here can last a lifetime, so perhaps the return voyage to the alma mater serves as a reminder of that wonderful fact.

Many also voice the desire to reunite with their former professors. Given Middlebury's renowned student-to-faculty ratio, many students of the College create lasting bonds with their professors.

"Students at Middlebury are almost aggressive in connecting with their professors," Jordan said. She went on to reminisce about a vacation that she and her family took many years ago to the Adirondacks, when she called one of her past professors, and he told her to stop right in for dinner. Stories like Jordan's are not uncommon.

However, a current trend seems to demonstrate that very recent and much older alumni avidly return for Homecoming, while those in between rarely find the time.

Jen Williams '07 is currently a Teaching Fellow at Smith College, but still manages to revisit Middlebury about twice every six months. "When you just get out, you want to come back more often," Williams said.

One reason that recent graduates return so frequently after graduation is the fact that many of their friends still attend the school, and Homecoming offers the chance to watch sports events and party with friends still enrolled in the College. But, as Williams admitted, it becomes harder to squeeze in the trip as the years go by - life becomes busy and many alumni move out of the area. It is not until they are significantly older and have more free time that they can return with consistency again.

Bobby Alden '40 and Bob Alden '40 are a perfect illustration of this phenomenon. The married couple, who have settled in the town of Middlebury, are doing their part to bring their former classmates back to campus.

"We came to give our class a boost because no one's coming," Bobby said. "We figured if we waited until our 70th, we'd all be dead! So, we're doing it now."

For his part, Bob laughed and noted that about 12 alumni from their class had registered to reunite.

An additional draw is the opportunity to reconnect with the past of the school. Some alumni look forward to returning for sports events, while others reconvene with their old social houses, such as KDR, Slug, Sig Ep, Chi Psi or DU, or with their a cappella groups. Bob Alden's fondest memory was joining Chi Psi, while Bobby, a member of the first women's ski team, proudly remembers exhibiting her skills at the Winter Carnival.

"I miss Middlebury," said Williams, "though I don't miss the work! But seriously, this is an amazing place."

Indeed, it is a place where the Bob Aldens meet their Bobbys, and where enduring friendships emerge from commitments to teams and groups that share a universality lasting far beyond a class year. Alumni of all ages share a pride and happiness in returning, however briefly, to Middlebury where, in the words of alumni, they have known and loved well, and where they have danced like they meant it.