Celebrate
Reunion at Thurtene Carnival is packed with exciting events on campus and around St. Louis, but there are a few extra-special reunion experiences you don’t want to miss. These signature events include the Welcome Back Party and the Alumni BBQ, and – of course – your Class of 1981 Party! We’re eagerly working on a full schedule, so check back in early 2026 to read about all the receptions, tours, and events we have planned.
Featured Events
Reunion at Thurtene weekend will be packed with events on campus and around St. Louis, but there are a few signature reunion experiences you won’t want to miss.
Welcome back party
Friday, april 17
6-9 p.m.
Day one of reunion weekend concludes with our signature Welcome Back Party, an epic celebration. As the sun sets, catch up with old friends over heavy appetizers, desserts, and beer, wine, and soda. Enjoy live music, fun photo opportunities, and an amazing evening with the WashU community.
Alumni bbq
Saturday, april 18
11:30 A.M.-1:30 p.m.
Join classmates and their families for a fun-filled afternoon of great BBQ catered by the award-winning Pappy’s Smokehouse. Complimentary beer, wine, and soda will be provided. Enjoy children’s activities and entertainment throughout the event.
good bye brunch
sunday, april 19
9 – 11 A.m.
Reminisce on your reunion weekend, bid “until we meet again” to your classmates, and enjoy an all-you-care-to-eat brunch.
Get involved
Reunion class gift
At WashU, we believe in the power of tradition, community, and the transformative impact of education. Your reunion year is not only an opportunity to reconnect with old friends but also a chance to make a meaningful contribution to the institution that played a significant role in shaping your journey.
Be a part of the time-honored tradition of giving back through your reunion class gift. Regardless of the size of your contribution, every gift makes an impact on the university, its students, and the larger community.
Class of 1981 reunion committee
Want to help plan Reunion and make sure it’s a huge success? Join your Reunion Committee! Check out this list of classmates who have already signed up:
Leslie Sanders Frank
AB ’81
Vicki Siegel
AB ’81, MA ’88
Michael Mitas
AB ’81
Nina Cohn Stoien
AB ’81
David Seserman
BSBA ’80
Jayne Whitehead
AB ’81
Class memories
Class notes
Eugenio Hernández Rodríguez, PhD ’81, has been awarded a 2024 Royal Spanish Mathematical Society medal for his “longstanding relevant and continued contributions in a variety of mathematical areas, including education, research, conveyance, and outreach.”
Steven Beer, AB ’81, BA ’81, created and is executive producer of “Reading Rainbow Live,” an updated version of the beloved educational show “Reading Rainbow.”
April D. Nauman, BA ’81, penned Down the Steep (Regal House Publishing, October 2023), a literary coming-of-age story set during the Civil Rights era in southeast Virginia, where she mostly grew up.
Peter A. Lichtenberg, AB ’81, received the 2024 Donald P. Kent Award from the Gerontological Society of America, one of the highest honors from the society.
Looking back at 1981
Some 2,100 estimated to graduate Friday
An estimated 2,185 degrees will be conferred at WU’s 121st commencement ceremony Friday, May 21. The commencement speaker, Andrew F.
Brimmer, will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Brimmer, a noted Washington, D.C. economist, will speak on “The Erosion of Equity in American Society.”
WU Wins Prestigious Putnam Math Competition for Second Time in Four Years
For the second time in four years, a team of WU students has won the nationally prestigious William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition. The winning WU team comprised of Kevin Keating, of Chicago, Ill., Edward Shpiz, of Teaneck, N.J., and Nathan Schroeder, of Clayton, Mo., a senior double-majoring in mathematics and computer science.
SPIM scholar wins Marshall Scholarship
Craig T. Basson, an honors student at WashU, has won a Marshall Scholarship providing two and possibly three years of all-expenses-paid study at a British university of his choice. Following graduation from WU this May, he will study for a master’s degree in physiology at Lincoln Collge, Oxford.
favorite hangouts
Coming soon
See who’s coming
Search for classmates who are planning to come back for WashU Reunion at Thurtene Carnival, April 17-19, 2026.