Cardinal Alumni Flock Home for Cardinal Weekend

Cardinal Weekend 2023 was a resounding success, with more than 1,200 Catholic University alumni returning to campus this year.

Between receptions in many of the University’s 12 schools, special reunion parties for class years ending in three or eight, Alumni Awards, the Golden Cardinals Celebration, the Black Catholic Alumni reception, annual Aubry LeBuffe Scholarship Reception, a closing Mass, and additional gatherings, there were more than 35 unique events in which returning Cardinals could take part.

And, despite some rainy weather on Saturday, the annual Pre-Game Tent Party was as packed as ever, with hundreds of alumni sheltering from the weather underneath the big tent behind the DuFour Center. In addition to a selection of both breakfast items and barbeque lunch favorites, Cardinal alumni and their families could have their faces painted, caricatures made, or don balloon hats courtesy of a balloon artist while reconnecting with friends from their time at the University.  

Also on Saturday following the Tent Party, more than 50 attended the Black Alumni Mixer, including current students and alumni Alumnae Aya Collins, B.A. 1998, led a very engaging ice breaker that allowed attendees to network and get to know each other over a game of bingo.

Former University Track Coach Joseph Fisher, B.A. 1975, also shared remarks regarding the history of the Partnership Program – which recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of its first graduating class – and the future of Black Alumni engagement at the University. Students who attended said they felt it was an impactful way to connect and find new opportunities for mentorship.

For some alumni, this was the first time they had engaged with the University since graduation. One graduate from the Class of 1973 said her 50th Golden Cardinals Reunion was the first time she had seen any of her classmates since they received their diplomas. 
While the Golden Cardinals celebrated in Heritage Hall on campus, on Saturday night other reunion classes with graduation years ending in threes and eights gathered at Dirty Habit in Penn Quarter to reconnect and make new memories with their classmates.

In addition to the Mass and Farewell Coffee and Donuts, the annual Aubry-LeBuffe Scholarship Reception, also on Sunday, saw nearly 50 attendees as well. During the gathering, Director of the Center for Cultural Engagement Javier Bustamante, along with Fisher, presented three seniors, Daneev Imbert, Ann Laurent, and Samuel Nwuha, with this scholarship.

"Aside from being a great financial help, this scholarship is a reminder to me, proof that the last name “Nwuha,” despite how short and foreign it may seem in English, shares a powerful truth. “Nwuha,” my last name, means “a child belongs to all.” The word is insistent on the power of community, that a person, from the moment of their birth, belongs to everyone, meaning that their success, hopes, and dreams are the successes, hopes, and dreams of the community. This is a reminder that I will carry with me as I pursue a full-time offer, grad school, and/or law school. (I haven’t decided which one I’ll do first yet, but I’ll do them all!)"  - Samuel Nwuha, Class of 2024

For those who missed out on the fun this year, plans are already underway for Cardinal Weekend 2024, which is set for September 20-22.