Class of 1998
Welcome to the Class of 1998 – 15th Reunion!
I’m not sure which was more stressful: chemistry lab or room draw.
The big question every day was what time we were headed to lunch and then dinner. Then there were the late-night runs for Ben’s Bread.
If we weren’t already basketball fans, we became fans as we watched our Dips sail into the NCAA Tournament. And we watched the Alumni Sports & Fitness Center go up and the water towers—good old George and Martha—come down.
There were numerous all-nighters and—here I can only speak for myself—they were rarely to get studying done.
I remember walking across the Quad—whether it was a crisp autumn day or a breezy spring day—and knowing why I had fallen in love with F&M’s campus from my first visit. There was always someone playing Frisbee—and someone wearing shorts even if it was 40 degrees outside.
Back then, even without cell phones, we managed to connect easily with friends, bumping into them as we headed into the Common Ground, or calling out to them across Hartman Green.
As I think back, those memories seem so vivid. How is it possible that it was 15 years ago? And yet I suspect that much has changed for all of us in those 15 years. Along the way, we’ve established careers, traveled, added more education, moved to new cities, formed families of our own perhaps, and made new friends.
And, as much as I’d rather not admit that 15 years have passed since President Kneedler handed us our degrees at Commencement, I am excited about the idea of returning to visit campus. Sleeping in a dorm hasn’t sounded like this much fun since we landed a suite in Weis so many years ago—and this time I’ll be bringing my husband and our two preschool-aged sons. But most exciting to me is the chance to see you, my classmates, hear about your life since F&M, and reminisce together.
So mark your calendars for June 7-9, 2013! Our class’s Reunion Committee and F&M are planning three fun-filled days for us. If you would like to help us plan, please click on one of our names to send us an email. We will be looking for people to help contact classmates so we can encourage everyone to
consider coming back to F&M, and to Lancaster, for the weekend.
As you plan, please also start thinking about what you might be able to contribute toward our class gift. F&M has grown and changed in wonderful ways during the past 15 years, and much of that growth has been thanks to the gifts of alumni who are committed to helping our alma mater thrive. Our reunion year is a great time for us to think about the investment we can make in the future of our college, and in the lives of the students who are there creating their own memories.
So, save the date for June 7-9! And, as we count down to reconnecting in person, go join our class’s Facebook group and share some of your F&M memories. See you there!
Rita Beyer Buettner
