The Events That Shaped Us
By: Alumni Publications | Categories: Alumni Association News
THE CLASSES OF 1970, 1980, & 1995 ARE CELEBRATING MILESTONE REUNIONS IN 2020, THESE EVENTS AND MEMORIES, SHARED BY THEIR CLASS REUNION CHAIRS AND CO-CHAIRS, WERE DEFINING MOMENTS DURING THEIR YEARS AT TECH.
50th Reunion
Class of 1970
Tumultuous Times
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968 in Memphis, Tenn. In 1969, students burned the Blueprint at Peters Park in protest of a perceived editorial slant. Graduation was under the starlight ceiling at the Fox Theatre. And, "getting out" carried with it the possibility of being drafted to the military. "We graduated at a very uncertain time," says Jim Harris, ChE 70. "In 1970, when you graduated, you either knew you were going to the military because of your draft number or something different." The tumultuous period of the late '60s shaped the tenor of the Class of 1970."
"Our class was forged by challenges and severe outside pressures, but we persevered," says Ron Nash, IE 70. "When you look back, having to work through those tough times may have been what created the loyalty, the steadfast support, and the gratitude to Tech that we have expressed every year since getting out."
"Nerd humor was alive and well"
"In 1968, Georgia Tech’s Young Republicans brought a live elephant to a mock presidential debate on campus. The elephant was even interviewed by WREK radio," says Ron Nash, IE 70, who was president of the Young Republicans at the time. "Nerd humor was alive and well at Tech," he says.
40th Reunion
Class of 1980
A Presidential Visit
In 1979, President Jimmy Carter addressed students at McCamish Pavilion. President Carter attended Tech in 1946 and was awarded an honorary degree in 1979. "He made a joke about having to become President to get a degree from Ga. Tech," says Carlos Barroso, ChE 80.
Dr. Sherry's Daily Ritual
Chemistry students fondly remember chemistry with Dr. Peter Sherry, Chem 49, MS Chem 50, and his unique way of starting class. He would meticulously erase the board and bang the erasers, says Carlos Barroso, ChE 80. One day, students came in to thoroughly clean the board and erasers. "Dr. Sherry comes in, looks at the board, which is spotless, then looks at the class with a slight smile. He proceeds to perform the same ritual, erasing the board and banging the erasers."
25th Reunion
Class of 1995
Summer Olympics in Atlanta
The class of 1995 witnessed the transformation of Atlanta in the years leading up to the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. "Georgia Tech was perfectly geographically situated and heavily woven into the plans for the Olympic Village," remembers Stewart Cink, Mgt 95. "In light of this milestone, I remember feeling like it was our class’s responsibility to represent Tech well both during and after our days as students, as we would always be tied to this historic event."
The concept of "Word"
As a transfer student, Lisa Cink, Bio 95, was bewildered when she received a C on her first test after feeling like she had aced it. "I marched directly into my virology professor’s office demanding to know why my correct answers had resulted in a low grade," she says.“He patiently sat me down and enlightened me on the concept of ‘Word,’ the utilization of old tests to prepare for current ones.” He said a correct answer was the minimum at Tech. "I can’t say that was the last C I made, but I did eventually make it to the finish line of graduating."
