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Roughly 3,000 graduates expected for Young Alumni Reunions

A college throwback aims to foster strong University ties among recent alumni

Thousands of recent graduates will gather in the Amphitheatre Saturday night for a chance to recapture their college nights at the Corner and down Rugby Road. The party, also known as Young Alumni Reunions, is a part of the Young Alumni Council’s efforts to keep recent graduates coming back to Charlottesville and reconnecting with old friends.

YAR, a relatively new tradition, grew out of the Young Alumni Council’s search for something alumni could do before reaching their fifth reunion. The Alumni Association puts on events for alumni celebrating their fifth through 45th reunions, but the council found recent University graduates wanted an opportunity to join in the festivities.

YAR began as a cookout after the Homecomings game, but quickly grew into a larger-scale tradition.

“People come back for the football game and you might see your friends on the Corner or at a bar, but it is good to have an event where there is one specific location for everyone to go to have fun with their friends,” said University alumnus Sheridan Fuller, president of the Class of 2013 Trustees.

The event has seen a huge spike in attendance in the past few years. This year, about 3,000 alumni are expected to attend. The organization has been using online ticketing to ensure the check-in process moves smoothly.

The event will be held at the Aquatic and Fitness Center in the case of rain.

YAR will include a DJ, unlimited food and drinks, a photo booth — which Fuller said is a great value for a $20 ticket when coupled with the opportunity to reconnect with friends.

“I am really grateful for an opportunity and excuse to come back to Charlottesville,” said University alumna Nancy Park, president of the Class of 2012 Trustees. “Usually that wouldn’t happen unless someone was getting married.”

Graduated trustees help with marketing for YAR — though existing efforts are mostly based on personal relationships. In the future, Park said the trustees hope to focus on groups who may be underrepresented in attendance.

Bringing more recent graduates to YAR can help increase the long-term commitment to the University among alumni, said Jessica Hamilton, associate director of Young Alumni Programs.

“What we’ve found is that by the time people get to their fifth reunion, they have already had a really cool experience coming back to YAR, so they are more likely to attend,” she said

The event also helps to widen the University alumni experience, Park said.

“[YAR] lets people know that being an alum is not just for 30 years out when you have money to contribute,” Park said. “You can be an alum right after you graduate.”

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