Caltech Alumni Return to Campus for Alumni Weekends and Reunions

More than 300 alumni from around the country and the globe, including participants from as far away as China, Germany, and Sweden, came together on campus October 19 to 22 to rekindle friendships, make new connections, and to learn about Caltech today during the 2023 Caltech Alumni Weekend and Reunions.

The annual event, which welcomed a record-breaking turnout, is produced by Caltech Alumni Relations with the purpose of encouraging members of the alumni community connect with one another and with their alma mater.

Leading into the weekend, Jennifer Lee, PhD (PhD ’10), chair of the Caltech Alumni Association Board of Directors, emphasized the value of the event, which combined cherished Caltech traditions with new and exciting experiences. “The CAA is committed to forging even stronger bonds between Caltech and the alumni community by creating new content programs while also honoring our past,” Lee said.

Highlights of the weekend included a tour of the JPL campus; a presentation by and discussion with faculty leads for Caltech’s Space Solar Power Project; SURF Seminar Day, which showcased recent student research; and a panel discussion with 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award (DAA) recipients moderated by 2001 DAA recipient Sandra Tsing Loh (BS ’83). Provost David Tirrell also hosted a special conversation at the Alumni House on The Caltech Edge, and President Thomas F. Rosenbaum welcomed and celebrated the induction of graduates of the class of 1973, including the first class to include undergraduate women, into the Half Century Club.

“Caltech’s contributions to the world emanate in large part from the accomplishments of its graduates,” says Caltech President Thomas F. Rosenbaum, the Sonja and William Davidow Presidential Chair and professor of physics. “Alumni Weekend is the perfect opportunity to strengthen ties to the Institute, develop new friendships, and experience the intellectual excitement that is Caltech.”

During Saturday evening’s All Alumni Celebration on the Beckman Mall, JPL Director and Caltech Vice President Laurie Leshin, PhD (MS ’89, PhD ’95) presented models of the Psyche and Mars missions, enhanced by a HoloLens-assisted “Walk on Mars.”

“I’ve been to every milestone event for myself and my husband,” said Michelle Armond, JD (BS ’00), who attended with her husband Alexander Ihler, PhD (BS ’98), “and this was the best one yet. There were so many opportunities to see campus, reconnect with old friends, and make new ones. It’s been more than 25 years since I first stepped foot on campus. Although a lot has changed, Caltech’s essence is still the same; it feels like home.”??

Alumni Weekend closed on Sunday with a panel discussion involving student leaders and House events organized for alumni by current students. During the panel, Andrew Pasco, currently a resident of Fleming House, discussed the value of the legacy that alumni have given to current students. ??

“There are really tight connections between upperclassmen and lowerclassmen, and across Houses,” he said. “We can show why the Honor Code is so important, and why the community it creates is what makes Caltech special.”??

The 2023 Alumni Weekend and Reunions served as a testament to the enduring spirit of the Techer community and their unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of scientific exploration