Alumni Weekend

Grotto Service Project, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

Join the “Lourdes Army” in a service project to refresh and beautify the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto in time for the annual Twilight Mass. No special skills are required to take part. 

Welcome Dinner, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

Gather for dinner and drinks with friends to mark the official start of Alumni Weekend. 

Twilight Mass in Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto, 7:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 

Celebrate the beauty of our campus, the work of the Lourdes Army, and the opportunity we have to return to Loretto.

The Football Golf Outing, 9:00 a.m. 

Hit the links and support the Red Flash Football Team at the same time. To book your group, contact Jim Brazill, Senior Associate Athletics Director of Marketing Promotion and Communications, at jbrazill@francis.edu or 814-472-2774. You cannot register for this event through the Alumni Weekend registration portal. 

Alumni Weekend Kickoff BBQ, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

Enjoy drinks and a Hawaiian barbeque, including a full pig prepared by the Torvian team, along with numerous yard games, a fire pit, and acoustic guitar covers by Bo Moore, adjunct guitar instructor at SFU.

Loretto Car Show, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 

Spend Saturday morning with a leisurely stroll down St. Catherine Street for the Loretto Car Show. Any alumni interested in showing a car should contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at 814-472-3015, who in turn will get you in touch with the proper folks in Loretto. 

The 36th Annual Fr. Bede Run & Walk with the Friars, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. 

Start your Saturday with a run, jog, walk, or however you see fit with the Franciscan Friars for a tradition that continues to honor and remember former English professor and Red Flash track coach, Fr. Bede Hines ’43, T.O.R. 

The Alumni Prayer & Remembrance Service, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. 

This prayer service remembers those from our SFU family who have gone before us, from fellow classmates to faculty and staff who made this campus a home to so many. After the formal prayer services and reading the list of deceased since last Alumni Weekend, there will be an opportunity to share memories of those whose impact on our lives is not forgotten. 

50th Anniversary Brunch, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 

Members of the Class of 1974 are invited to join Fr. Malachi Van Tassell, T.O.R., Ph.D., President, at a celebration brunch in honor of their 50th anniversary. And per tradition, alumni who have previously celebrated their golden anniversaries are also encouraged to attend and celebrate with the newest members to the 50th Club! At the end of the brunch, class photos will be taken for the Class of 1974 as well as for the classes of any others in attendance. 

Classes Without Quizzes: Reimagining STEAM with Dr. Art Remillard ’00, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. 

Join Dr. Art Remillard—Professor of Religious Studies; Interim Dean for the School of Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM); and '00 alumnus of Saint Francis University—in an open discussion that reviews the history of STEAM programs at SFU, examines how they're currently positioned, and how they can be enhanced for the next generation of students. 

Information Session: The NEW Executive Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership and Innovation with Dr. Tricia McFadden ’21 (MBA), 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. 

Come back to your alma mater for the next step in your educational journey. Dr. Tricia McFadden, Director of the Executive Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership and Innovation, will explain the Franciscan difference in our EdD program and how its hybrid model of online learning with periodic residencies in person can fit the schedule for even our busiest alumni. 

Tour of the NEW Saint Margaret Hall, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

Bearing the name of St. Margaret of Cortona, a penitent of the Third Order of Saint Francis who established and ran a hospital for the poor, sick and dying, come see the latest expansion of our health science facilities on campus. Primarily serving Occupational Therapy and Physician Assistant majors, St. Margaret is the latest great step in our renovation and improvement of our health science education spaces. 

Classes Without Quizzes: “Preserving Memories through Poetry” with Dr. Matt Ussia ’99, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

In this poetry workshop, participants will be guided through the process of taking a memory of life in Loretto and turning it into a poem by Saint Francis alumnus, published poet, and professor Dr. Matthew Ussia ’99. Whether this is your first time trying to write poetry or you are an experienced writer, this workshop will offer guidance in all steps from coming up with a first thought, drafting, and final revision. And don’t worry, your poem doesn’t have to rhyme! 

“Bubbles & Cabs”: Wine Tasting with Phil Tartaglione ’74, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

This session will start with a couple of bubbly toasts as Phil and his classmates from 1974 celebrate their 50th Anniversary. Afterwards, we will move onto the #1 favorite red varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon. We will taste multiple Cabernet selections from South and North America, hailing from Argentina, Chile, California and Washington. We will end the tasting with a special chocolate treat. 

The NEW Connors Fine Arts Center & Resinski Black Box Theatre Showcase, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

Don’t just see the new Connors Fine Arts Center—experience it! Alumni artwork will be on display, instrumental guitar music will welcome guests, and songs will be performed by alumni from anniversary years in the Resinski Black Box Theatre. Jessica Campbell, the Director of the Center for Fine Arts, will offer a demonstration of encaustic painting. The exact performance schedule will be released closer to the weekend. 

Tour of the Shrines and Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Originally built by the steel magnate Charles Schwab as his summer residence, the mansion now houses friars of the Sacred Heart Province. Enjoy this tour of the gardens surrounding the estate. 

Marriage Vow Renewal, 4:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. 

All couples are invited to participate in a renewal of their wedding vows in the chapel before the Alumni Mass. The brief ecumenical service is open to all Christian couples. Each alumni couple will receive a souvenir keepsake. 

Alumni Mass, 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. 

We come together in the newly refurbished Immaculate Conception Chapel to remember alumni we have lost over the last year, to celebrate the bonds of faith that bring us together, and to give thanks for our collective journeys that brought us back home to Loretto. 

Alumni Weekend Celebration, 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

Gather for an evening of fantastic food and drink, with songs throughout the decades and camaraderie with all returning alumni for the high point of Alumni Weekend. While there is no sit-down meal, there will be various food stations to satisfy you, including carving stations, a mac-n-cheese bar, a dessert bar, and appetizers that include charcuterie, spanakopita, coconut shrimp, and Swedish meatballs. Class photos will be taken during the evening, so make sure you don’t miss them! 

Class Anniversary Photos, 7:00 p.m. 

The Classes of 1974 and Earlier: Your class photos will be taken at the conclusion of your 50th Anniversary Celebration Brunch on Saturday. 

The Classes of 1979 and Later: Reunion-year photos will be taken in the JFK Auditorium and begin promptly at 7:00 p.m. with the Class of 1979. From there we will announce which class is up over the speaker system. All class photos will be made available online after Alumni Weekend. 

Ghost Stories with Dr. Kirk Weixel, 10:00 p.m. 

Make your way to the firepit behind JFK to enjoy s’mores and hear beloved professor and talented raconteur Dr. Kirk Weixel share ghost stories that range from the local to the exotic.

Mass in the Immaculate Conception Chapel, 9:00 a.m. 

Ease into the end of Alumni Weekend with Mass in the chapel once last time before heading over to Torvian for Sunday brunch. 

ALL WEEKEND: OUR LADY OF LOURDES GROTTO TOURS 

Offered Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. Tours leave every fifteen minutes. You have three opportunities to walk the gardens with a volunteer guide and see all that the Grotto has to offer, including the Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine, the Pieta Shrine, the Nativity Scene, the Station of the Cross, the St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare Shrines, and the Saint Genesius Shrine.

Christian Hall is always made available first to the 50th anniversary class, this year the Class of 1974. If you are of this class and wish to stay in Christian Hall, simply complete the Alumni Weekend 2024 registration form by Sunday, June 16th.

Afterwards, starting on Monday, June 17th, at 9:00 a.m., the Classes of 1973 and earlier can request Christian Hall room reservations by calling 814-472-3015 or 814-472-3081.

If there are still Christian Hall rooms available, the Classes of 1975 and later can call on Wednesday, June 19th, at 9:00 a.m. If there are no rooms available by then, we will email an announcement saying as such.

Christian Hall requires a two-night minimum stay, and the reservation must be paid in full at the time of reservation. Only one room per alumni family can be reserved. You may not make reservations for other alumni.

We are not able to circumvent our standard process for Christian Hall for any special requests due to health-related issues. We always work with alumni to place them in the best available rooms for their needs—e.g. near a bathroom or on the first floor—but the number of special consideration requests for Christian Hall far outnumber the actual room count, and there is no fair way to tirage the numerous considerations. Should you require a room with air conditioning and fear you may not receive a room in Christian Hall, we recommend booking a room at a nearby establishment instead.

Every year the Office of Alumni Engagement works with the Office of Residence Life to make sure dormitories are open and available to our returning alumni. The specific dorms rotate year to year based on summer construction projects, summer camps, summer student housing, etc. We will do our best to honor any specific dorm request you may have, but we cannot promise it will be that exact one.

Every room comes with two twin-size beds, sheets (twin flat sheets only), blankets and small towels. You may want to bring personal care items such as bathrobes, alarm clocks, slippers, hangers, shower shoes, and additional towels, blankets, and fitting sheets/bedding, depending on your preferences. You may also want to bring mattress pads, as the mattresses are very firm. 

Christian Hall rooms come with private bathrooms. All other dormitory rooms use communal bathrooms. 

Christian Hall is air-conditioned, but the other dormitories are not. As such, we suggest alumni consider bringing fans. Window air conditioning units are not allowed. 

While many returning alumni enjoy reliving the dormitory experience, we understand that others do not. The Office of Alumni Engagement would be happy to recommend local establishments that may be more to the level of comfort that you seek.

If you are staying at Christian Hall, first stop by Registration & Check-in at Raymond Hall. Afterwards, you will get your room key at the front desk in Christian Hall. 

If you are staying in any other dormitory, you will receive your room key at Registration & Check-in at Raymond Hall. 

All alumni are responsible for returning their keys, which we make easy to do via key return boxes located in all dormitories and in Torvian. If you do not return your key, you will be charged a $50 fee to cover the cost of replacing the lock and key for your room.

You may not remove any furniture from any residence hall or any other building on campus. We strongly recommend bringing folding chairs and beach towels if you wish to gather outside. Many dorms have sitting areas immediately outside of the dorm or in the near vicinity.

Pets of any kind are not permitted in any of the dormitories unless they are service animals, e.g. seeing eye dogs.

We will release a final schedule the week of Alumni Weekend that will include all finalized event locations.

Golfers should directly contact the Immergrun clubhouse by calling 814-471-9650 to schedule tee times and golf carts.

The Alumni Weekend guest list can be found at forever.francis.edu/AlumniWeekend2024. The list is updated every day. Guests may opt out of appearing on the official attendee list, in which case their name will not appear.

You are welcome to bring your children to Alumni Weekend, although discretion is advised for select events, e.g. the wine tasting. Due to liability concerns, the University does not offer babysitting services, although you are welcome to bring you own sitter for the weekend. We do not offer special children pricing for events—all events are adult pricing.

There is no dress code for Alumni Weekend, and alumni are encouraged to wear casual clothing that is comfortable for Loretto in July.

All campus dormitories and buildings are smoke- and vape-free. No smoking or vaping is permitted in any campus building.

Cancellations will be accepted with full refunds until 4:00 p.m. on Monday, July 15.

Alumni are permitted to bring outside beverages, including alcoholic ones, on to campus. While you cannot bring these outside drinks into official Alumni Weekend events, you are welcome to enjoy them elsewhere on campus. As we offer standard beer and wine throughout the weekend and no liquor, we recommend those who wish to drink something different to bring it with them to campus. 

We recommend purchasing ice ahead of time just before you arrive on campus. Alumni are highly encouraged to bring water and sports drinks to stay hydrated during hot Loretto summer days. Many academic buildings and dormitories now feature water bottle filling stations.

Please contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at sfu-alumni-office@francis.edu or at 814-472-3015.