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Dear Classmates,
Your Class officers continue to work hard to serve the class. I’m exceedingly proud of the team and our accomplishments. I’d like to share this brief update as we move into Fall.
Reunions
Reunion Chairs Taking Charge. Our four reunion chairs have met several times. There will be more information in the future. Please mark your calendars NOW! It promises to be one of our best ever, and we want everyone to attend. Due to changes in the academic calendar, firm dates for 2029 are not established. We will let everyone know when dates are final. Special thanks to Mark Hornung, Phil Hueber, and Bruce and Kathy Petersen.
Community Service Project. Our multi-class, multi-year community service project continues to move ahead. “Connections Across Generations – We Are Family,” is a handwritten note campaign for older classes. The Class of 2029 has already created most of the art for the postcards. Our test run this year will be with the class of 1952 – a class with which we already share deep connection.
Marguerite Vera continues to champion this effort, with her usual aplomb. And as I said in the last update, this is an example of your class dues at work. THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed to class dues!
History Project. Initial filming for the Class History video will occur on Alumni Day, February 20, 2027. Filming will begin at 5pm at the Carl Fields Center. Refreshments will be served. Everyone is welcome to join us for this informal class dinner, whether or not one opts to be on camera. Peter Maritz is heading the history committee. Melvin McCray ’74 is the videographer and editor. A second filming will occur at our 70th party on May 22nd next year. This project is also funded by your class dues.
70th Birthday Party. A majority of us will turn seventy next year. Our 70th Birthday Party will be held at Prospect on Saturday, May 22, 2027. Tentatively, it will run from 6pm to 9pm. Live music provided by Terry Silverlight ’79. This event is free for classmates and one guest and is fully funded by your class dues. In addition to live music, we will have delicious food, cake, and informative remarks from some special guests. I know that 2027 is not a major reunion for our class, but I encourage everyone who can make it to attend. A registration page will be on the website soon.
Class Trips
Two class trips are planned next April. The Navajo-National Parks trip from April 2-9 is still open for sign-ups. A second trip, for those wanting foreign travel, will go to Morocco, Lisbon, and Seville from April 21-May 3. Both trips are available for registration on the class website, Princeton79.org.
Scholarship Fund
The Class of 1979 Scholarship Fund was inaugurated this spring, and several small scholarships were awarded. Lily McNair is leading our scholarship committee with the goal of growing the size of the fund and the breadth of participation. There will be more communication from the committee soon. The general idea is simple. This is our class legacy project, which was selected after a class-wide vote. It will make a tremendous statement about who we are as a class if a majority of classmates make a contribution of any amount. That’s what this fund is really about. Who are we? Do we support Princeton’s mission to make a Princeton education more accessible? Please consider joining me in making an affirmative statement of our values by supporting the scholarship fund, in addition to your Annual Giving donation.
Class Dues
Support within our class has been amazing! A significant number of our classmates have indicated their support of class activities by contributing to class dues. THANK YOU!
Let’s improve on an already good thing: Let’s increase dues participation! To encourage broader participation, we’re introducing a new, more flexible dues option starting July 1. In addition to the standard $79 dues, we’re adding a “Tiger Team” level, where contributions from $5 to $50 are welcome. The goal is simple: make it easier for more classmates to stay connected and involved. The dues page has been updated to reflect these options.
Currently, about 18% of the class contributes dues. I’d love to see us reach 35% next year—and then go even higher by our 50th.
Our Grandchild Class (2029)
Tony Rodriguez was very busy over the summer. Under his leadership, the Class of 79 has developed a first-rate mentoring program – something no other class has done as effectively as our class. Tony has recruited – and this is truly amazing – a roster of 126 alumni mentors serving 212 students (in the first round) from 2029. The roster includes volunteers from ten Princeton classes (including our child class 2004). This multi-class, multi-year effort sets a new standard of class engagement that I hope other classes will emulate. Specifically, I want to thank the 23 1979ers who are now serving as mentors: Tony Rodriguez, Prentis Hall, Lonny Behar, Hank Lubin, Gary Musicante, Lou Tucciarone, John Busch, Don Seitz, Patrick Romano, Robert Largey, Mark Frawley, Pat Campbell, Robert Long, John Marcom, Kathryn Reimann, David Yellen, Steve Wilson, Peter Maritz, Katherine Heston, Marcia Zuckerman, Frank Mayer, Martha Kramer, Bob Tuschman, Byron Siu, David Urquia, Barry Miller, John Rink, and Glenn Paul.
Looking ahead, we’ll continue building these connections with more small, meaningful interactions—conversations, mentoring, and shared experiences. We will set up at least one career-networking webinar this year.
As I said in my last letter, If you’d enjoy connecting with students, there are lots of ways to get involved. For example, you might:
• Talk with a small group about your career path
• Share an unconventional career journey
• Meet students for a casual meal or conversation
• Host a student for a day of job shadowing
• Speak with students who share a similar background or interests
If any of this appeals to you, please let me know. It doesn’t have to be formal—just genuine.
Spending time with these students has been genuinely inspiring. It’s a reminder of the energy and promise of the next generation—and it’s been meaningful for all of us who’ve participated.
Wrapping up
As we approach year-end, I want to thank our class officers, the Executive Leadership Team and the many volunteers, old and new, for everything they’ve done. And thank you to everyone who has stayed engaged through social media, events, and notes to class secretaries. We truly have an exceptional class, and serving has been a distinct pleasure.
Yours warmly,
Prentis Hall
October, 2026Dear Classmates,
Your Class officers continue to work hard to serve the class. I’m exceedingly proud of the team and our accomplishments. I’d like to share this brief update as we move into Fall.
Reunions
Reunion Chairs Taking Charge. Our four reunion chairs have met several times. There will be more information in the future. Please mark your calendars NOW! It promises to be one of our best ever, and we want everyone to attend. Due to changes in the academic calendar, firm dates for 2029 are not established. We will let everyone know when dates are final. Special thanks to Mark Hornung, Phil Hueber, and Bruce and Kathy Petersen.
Community Service Project. Our multi-class, multi-year community service project continues to move ahead. “Connections Across Generations – We Are Family,” is a handwritten note campaign for older classes. The Class of 2029 has already created most of the art for the postcards. Our test run this year will be with the class of 1952 – a class with wh…
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Dear Classmates:
It feels like time for a quick catch-up as we wrap up another fiscal year. There’s quite a bit going on, so I wanted to share a few highlights with you.

Reunions
Chairs Selected. Believe it or not, our 50th reunion is now less than three years away—which, for planners, means it’s right around the corner. I’m excited to share that Mark Hornung, Phil Hueber, and Bruce and Kathy Petersen have agreed to serve as co-chairs. They bring a wealth of reunion experience, and I can’t wait to see what they put together for us. More to come soon.
Community Service Project. We’re also getting an early start on a very special community service project, thanks to Marguerite Vera. The project, “Connections Across Generations – We Are Family,” is a handwritten note campaign for older alumni (65th Reunion classes and beyond), especially those who may be feeling isolated.
Here’s the idea: members of our class will write thoughtful notes to these alumni, sharing appreciation and connection. These notes will be sent on notecards featuring original artwork from the Class of 2029—our “grandchild class”—and some of those students may even add their own messages. It’s a simple but meaningful way to show that the Princeton community really is a family across generations.
If you’d like to help organize this effort, please reach out to Marguerite. This project, like many others, will be supported by your class dues..
History Project. We’re also planning a video history of the Class of 1979, featuring classmates reflecting on their Princeton experiences. It will be professionally produced by Melvin McCray ’74. Because of time and budget limits, we’ll include about 20 participants, selected from those attending next year’s 48th Reunion, where most of the filming will take place. If you’re thinking about coming, this is one more great reason to join us. Again, this project will be supported by your class dues.
70th Birthday Party. And speaking of next year—there’s something fun to look forward to. Since most of us will be turning 70, we’re planning a birthday celebration during reunions. Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 22, 2027. It should be a terrific gathering. Your class dues make this event possible.

Class Trips
Our class trips continue to be a big hit. While there’s no trip this fall, we’re planning a spring visit to the Southwest, including the Navajo Nation and several national parks. You can sign up on our class website.
Recent trips have taken us to Argentina and Chile this past April, and on a Rhine River cruise last October. We’re already thinking about future destinations, so if you have ideas, please share them with Marguerite Vera or our travel coordinator, Karen Gregory.

Scholarship Fund.
I’m happy to report that the Class of 1979 Scholarship Fund is now up and running. While the balance is still modest (about $60,000), we were able to support a student last year. The fund is part of Princeton’s endowment, with the University managing both the investments and the awards.
You may remember that starting this scholarship fund was chosen by class vote last year. Now comes the important part—growing it together.
Let me share a big goal (or what some call a “BEHAG”—a Big, Hairy, Aggressive Goal): by our 50th Reunion in 2029, I’d love for us to set records for both participation and total giving—and, ideally, raise several million dollars for the scholarship fund.
It’s ambitious, no doubt. But with planning, commitment, and strong leadership, I believe we can do it. I’m especially grateful that Lily McNair has agreed to lead this effort. She’s assembled a terrific team, and you’ll be hearing more from them soon.

Class Dues
On that note, thank you to everyone who has been contributing class dues—especially those giving at leadership levels. Your support makes so much of what we do possible.
Dues fund a wide range of activities open to all classmates—from events like our Brooklyn outings and Washington, DC gathering, to reunion meals, Alumni Day dinners, tailgates, webinars, and our outreach to the Class of 2029.
To encourage broader participation, we’re introducing a new, more flexible dues option starting July 1. In addition to the standard $79 dues, we’re adding a “Tiger Team” level, where contributions from $5 to $50 are welcome. The goal is simple: make it easier for more classmates to stay connected and involved.
Currently, about 18% of the class contributes dues. I’d love to see us reach 35% next year—and then go even higher by our 50th.

Our Grandchild Class (2029)
We’ve also been building a relationship with our “grandchild class,” the Class of 2029, and it’s been incredibly rewarding.
Over the past year, we’ve connected with them through events like the Pre-Rade, Homecoming, informal meetups, webinars, and coffee breaks during finals. We’ve also had the chance to meet some of their class leaders, including the incoming class president, Lumina Zhang, who marched with us at the P-Rade.
Here is a picture of Lumina with Sonya Sotomayor, ’76. In a note to our classmate Tony Rodriguez, Lumina reports “…It was so inspiring talking with her! She mentioned that you brought me up to her, which I appreciate so much. She was so personable and gave me some great advice. I was so excited to meet her that I cried after

Looking ahead, we’ll continue building these connections with more small, meaningful interactions—conversations, mentoring, and shared experiences.
If you’d enjoy connecting with students, there are lots of ways to get involved. For example, you might:
• Talk with a small group about your career path
• Share an unconventional career journey
• Meet students for a casual meal or conversation
• Host a student for a day of job shadowing
• Speak with students who share a similar background or interests
If any of this appeals to you, please let me know. It doesn’t have to be formal—just genuine.
Spending time with these students has been genuinely inspiring. It’s a reminder of the energy and promise of the next generation—and it’s been meaningful for all of us who’ve

Wrapping up
As we close out the year, I want to thank our class officers, leadership team, and many volunteers for everything they’ve done. And thank you to all of you who’ve attended events and stayed engaged—that’s what makes this community so special.
Wishing you all a wonderful summer. I hope to see many of you soon.

Yours warmly,
Prentis Hall
June, 2026Dear Classmates:
It feels like time for a quick catch-up as we wrap up another fiscal year. There’s quite a bit going on, so I wanted to share a few highlights with you.

Reunions
Chairs Selected. Believe it or not, our 50th reunion is now less than three years away—which, for planners, means it’s right around the corner. I’m excited to share that Mark Hornung, Phil Hueber, and Bruce and Kathy Petersen have agreed to serve as co-chairs. They bring a wealth of reunion experience, and I can’t wait to see what they put together for us. More to come soon.
Community Service Project. We’re also getting an early start on a very special community service project, thanks to Marguerite Vera. The project, “Connections Across Generations – We Are Family,” is a handwritten note campaign for older alumni (65th Reunion classes and beyond), especially those who may be feeling isolated.
Here’s the idea: members of our class will write thoughtful notes to these alumni, sharing app…
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The Princeton University Alumni Association is 200 years old this year! Join 100,000+ of your fellow alumni for 200 days of honoring the best Alumni Association in the world — attend events, share your stories, add your service hours, and more! Go to [Link ] for more.The Princeton University Alumni Association is 200 years old this year! Join 100,000+ of your fellow alumni for 200 days of honoring the best Alumni Association in the world — attend events, share your stories, add your service hours, and more! Go to Alumni Association 200th Anniversary

The Princeton University Alumni Association is 200 years old this year! Join 100,000+ of your fellow alumni for 200 days of honoring the best Alumni Association in the world — attend events, share your stories, add your service hours, and more! Go to [Link ] for more.The Princeton University Alumni Association is 200 years old this year! Join 100,000+ of your fellow alumni for 200 days of honoring the best Alumni Association in the world — attend events, share your stories, add your service hours, and more! Go to

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