October 3,
2005
Meliora Weekend 2005 celebrates diversity, intellectual life
River Campus to host thousands for three-day gala
 A'Lelia Bundles |
 Donzaleigh Abernathy |
 James Forman Jr. |
 Chris Matthews |
host of scholars, innovators, and artists will offer insight on some of today's most thought-provoking issues during Meliora Weekend 2005, the College's premier annual event for students, alumni, parents, community members, and friends. A River Campus tradition now in its fifth year, the weekend will include a first-ever reunion for more than 5,000 multicultural alumni as part of a special focus on diversity and civil rights.
Events kick off Friday, October 21, and culminate Sunday, October 23, a day that marks the inauguration of Joel Seligman as the University's 10th president with a symposium at 10:30 a.m. in Strong Auditorium and inaugural ceremony at 3 p.m. in Eastman Theatre. (Learn more about events surrounding Inauguration at www.rochester.edu/inauguration.)
"Meliora Weekend 2005 will be a truly historic occasion for our community," says President Seligman. "This annual fall celebration gathers the best of the University into one exhilarating weekend and provides faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends an opportunity to participate in a wonderful exchange of ideas. From class reunions and family activities to presentations by notable thinkers and a series of events that focus on diversity, Meliora Weekend 2005 should be extraordinary."
Friday's highlights include a look back at the life of Susan B. Anthony and personal reflections on the progress of women during the past century from such leaders as Patricia Williams, professor of law at Columbia University; Louise Slaughter, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for New York; Sara Paretsky, social activist and novelist; and Shelia Blumstein '65, Albert D. Mead Professor of Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences at Brown University and a member of the University's Board of Trustees.
Friday also features perspectives on peace in the Middle East, Asia's influence on the global economy, and models of leadership and entrepreneurship in multicultural communities. There will be performances by comedian Lewis Black and The Temptations, a reading by Chinese novelist and poet Ha Jin, as well as a review of the lives and music of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan in "Black Nightingales: Lady Day, Ella, and Sassy" by Paul Burgett '68E, '72E(PhD), University vice president, general secretary, and adjunct professor of music.
A reunion for multicultural alumni will feature remarks by Edward Seaga, the former Prime Minister of Jamaica; Francis Price '74, '75S (MBA), chair of the Multicultural Alumni Advisory Council and University Trustee; and President Seligman. The evening will include a tribute to Olivia Hooker '62 (PhD), the University's oldest living African-American graduate who recently testified before Congress regarding her experiences in the 1921 Tulsa Race Riots.
A wide range of talks, concerts, tours, and celebrations continue on Saturday. Journalist and Hardball host Chris Matthews offers his take on capital news, novelist Madison Smartt Bell reads from his latest work, and Harvard law professor Arthur Miller '55 leads a roundtable debate about threats to privacy during war time. Descendants of notable civil rights leaders in America will address race and the progress of civil rights in the United States as part of "Guardians of the Legacy," a program moderated by civil rights attorney Gail Wright Sirmans '72.
The program also will showcase 12 faculty experts such as Alan Stockman, chair of the economics department, who, with Professor of Economics Ron Jones, will lead a discussion on the impact of Asia on the U.S. economy. Andrea Gluckman, a lecturer in the political science department, will join a panel in a talk about the Middle East, and five chemical engineering faculty members will share the latest on fuel cell technology.
Meliora Weekend, which pays tribute to the University's motto, meliora—"always better"—is an annual fall tradition that first began in 2000 during the University's 150th anniversary celebration. This College event combines Homecoming, Reunion, and Family Weekend and each year draws more than 6,000 alumni and guests from around the world. Past speakers and performers have included actor Robert Duvall, author Salman Rushdie, U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton, Newsweek International editor Fareed Zakaria, comedian Bill Cosby, political consultants Mary Matalin and James Carville, and many more.
Registration is free for University students, faculty, and staff. Seating is limited, so register early at www.rochester.edu/alumni/meliora2005. The program is organized by the Office of College Advancement. For more information, call x3-5888.
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