What do a Grammy-winning singer/songwriter, working Hollywood actor/playwright, VP of marketing for Coke, and a chief of cardiology have in common? They, among several others, were noted as Luminaries for the Emory College of Arts and Sciences' Class of 1985.

The Class of 1985 Luminaries were a select handful of Emory alumni who had gone on to significant achievement post-graduation and were back on campus celebrating their 25-year reunion during Emory Homecoming Weekend. Were they the only successful members of the Class of 1985? Far from it, but they are special in their continuing relationship to Emory.

Each luminary had a distinctive experience on campus as students and for their visit back Homecoming Weekend. Some spoke in classes related to their professional field, others hosted small forums with students for intimate discussions, and nearly all participated in one of four industry-based panels for students.

I was lucky enough to meet them all and be there when they met up with each other again. Many of them hadn’t seen each other since graduation, and the memories flew—the first year of Dobbs as a co-ed dorm, Adam Beguelin's 85C computer (one of the first on campus. Guess who is on his sixth technology start-up?), the last year of Wonderful Wednesdays.

Though their experiences were diverse, I feel confident saying that they all had a great time and re-energized their connection with Emory this weekend by meeting students and getting a feel for Emory today. Let’s hope they (and you) will be back to celebrate long before another 25 years passes.

Here’s to the Luminaries of the Class of 1985: Vicki Arroyo 85C, Adam Beguelin 85C, Haynes Brooke 85C, Kai Ryssdal 85C, Emily Saliers 85C, Larry Sperling 85C 89M 92MR 97FM, Chandra Stephens-Albright 85C, and Robert Van Orden 85C.

-- Kate Lawlor 01C 10MBA, senior director for alumni relations, Emory College of Arts and Sciences

The Dooley's Week t-shirts were so popular that we couldn't even snag a picture of one. So here's a little video that the Student Programming Council (SPC) put together, featuring Dooley and his Entourage.

Next to free food, Emory students will do almost anything for t-shirts, especially during Dooley's Week. This year's shirts glow in the dark ... did you hear that? They glow in the dark! And simultaneously complement the space theme. (Remember to hold up your t-shirt to the light to "charge" it.)

A few hours ago, Dooley's Week Wonderful Wednesday was in full force with a moon bounce, Dippin' Dots ice cream, and a scavenger hunt with six iPod prizes. But the only question I kept getting was, "When are you going to give out the t-shirts?"

One senior came up to me with her sob story about never getting a Dooley's Week t-shirt, but she was determined to make her last year the year she would get one.

Twenty minutes later, the mob in front of the tables was getting anxious, and then, suddenly, emerging from a box and flying through the air came the first t-shirt of the day! SPC members present (including myself) threw those rolled bundles of joy to bright-eyed students until the three boxes of shirts were empty.

Don't fret, we had three more catapulting rounds of t-shirts. I kept hearing my name coming from friends, acquaintances, and strangers (yes, that's right) in the crowd, all hoping to get a t-shirt. I utilized the backwards lob throw to keep it fair. Still, I think I made both new friends (and enemies) today.

We also provided neon green, Ray Ban-ripoff sunglasses and drinking cups with the Dooley's Week design on them. The sunglasses went first, and sadly, the cups were like the last kid to the be chosen in PE class.

Many were leftover.

If you're still shirtless (that is, without a Dooley's Week t-shirt), come to Kevin Nealon's stand-up performance tonight at Glenn Auditorium at 8:00 p.m. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. for those with tickets. You can get a ticket at the DUC Information Desk (An inside source tells me, we just got 300 more). And remember, the earlier you get there tonight, the more likely you'll get a t-shirt.



Now, wear those t-shirts with some Dooley pride and come on out to the week's remaining events, and if you don't have one, I think you can still get a cup.

--Lindsey Bomnin 12C, EAA communications assistant

For the past three years, Emory students have come together on Wednesday afternoons in an effort to improve student life, community, and collaborative efforts at Emory. Clubs, organizations, and causes set-up tables on Asbury Circle to promote their current projects, get some free publicity, and learn of opportunities for collaboration with other organizations.

Essentially, the new Wonderful Wednesday (I'm sure many alumni from 1982 and earlier fondly remember Wonderful Wednesdays when they were students) is a weekly networking celebration on Asbury Circle—just substitute light hors d’oeuvres for a free slice of pizza and business cards for free pens. What could be more natural than utilizing this weekly networking celebration to spread the work about E-Connection, Emory’s new online networking community, to students?

This past Wednesday, March 18, members of the Student Alumni Association (SAA) did just that. A team of dedicated SAA members invited their fellow students to learn more about Emory’s new online networking community and to set-up their own account on E-Connection. For students, E-Connection has the potential to be a hybrid—think Facebook meets LinkedIn with a LearnLink (Emory’s much-loved undergraduate email system) flair—I heard one student explain. Essentially, we are talking the professional community of a student’s dreams. The online community aspect this generation of student has never been with out, with the possibility for tremendous professionalism (re: no inappropriate pictures from Fraternity formals).

With the recent launch of E-Connection, the EAA has extended the collaborative work of programs such as Wonderful Wednesday to include alumni. Alumni might not be able to make it back to campus every week, but can hopefully find a spare moment in the day to sign into E-Connection and check for opportunities and confirm their latest friend requests.

--Megan Kruer 08C, 2008-09 fellow, Emory Annual Fund/Emory Alumni Association