Saturday, May 11, 2024

Some events have limited capacity and the event may sell out. We encourage you to register early.

Saturday, May 11, 2024 | 9-10:30 a.m. | Danforth Campus Walking Tour

From the new construction on the east end to renovations in Mallinckrodt, you and your classmates will experience and explore the next chapter of your beloved WashU community during this tour led by a WashU staff member. Relive a bit of your college experience while celebrating the milestones of the next generation.

Comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate attire is recommended.

Capacity is limited. Advanced registration is recommended.

Saturday, May 11, 2024 | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | Chancellor's Luncheon

Enjoy a luncheon hosted by Andrew D. Martin, WashU’s 15th chancellor. The chancellor will share an exclusive university update and offer a toast to all reunion celebrants and emeritus alumni. Bear Necessities will be on-site selling WashU apparel and swag.

11 a.m. | Cocktails and connections
11:30 a.m. | Luncheon begins
12 p.m. | University update and toast with Chancellor Martin
1 p.m. | Luncheon concludes

Casual attire is recommended.

$30 per person

Saturday, May 11, 2024 | 1:30-2:30 p.m. | Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum Tour

Tour the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum with a student-educator for an in-depth exploration of several works from the museum’s renowned permanent collection. Participants will engage with one another in group discussions throughout the tour and are encouraged to explore the special exhibitions before or afterwards.

Casual attire is recommended.

Capacity is limited. Advanced registration recommended.

Saturday, May 11, 2024 | 1:30-3:30 p.m. | Student Union, Campus Life, and Sorority/Fraternity Life Reception

Share your memories, meet current students, and learn about social life on campus from Campus Life staff.

Casual attire is recommended.

Saturday, May 11, 2024 | 1:30-3:30 p.m. | Reslife Reunion

Welcome home! Return to the South 40 to visit some of our new spaces, as well as those you remember from your time as a student. Meet our team and some of our current resident advisers and Congress of the South 40 leaders.

Casual attire is recommended.

Saturday, May 11, 2024 | 1:30-3:30 p.m. | Athletics and Recreation Welcome

Visit the Department of Athletics and Recreation and meet some of our current scholar-champions and coaches as you tour our new state-of-the-art facilities, embedded in the heart of the spaces you remember from your time at WashU.

Casual attire is recommended.

Saturday, May 11, 2024 | 3-4 p.m. | Art on Campus Tour

View artwork installed throughout the Danforth Campus as part of the Art on Campus Tour, led by Leslie Markle, curator for public art. The tour begins at the Florence Steinberg Weil Sculpture Garden in front of the north entrance to Weil Hall and includes stops at Bauer Hall, Sumers Recreation Center, and Hillman Hall to see works by acclaimed contemporary artists Jaume Plensa, Katharina Grosse, Ann Hamilton, Ayşe Erkmen, Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, and Dan Graham.

Comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate attire is recommended.

Capacity is limited. Advanced registration recommended.

Saturday, May 11, 2024 | 4:30-7:30 p.m. | Golden Bear Gathering

Enjoy reconnecting with classmates while reacquainting yourself with one of the nation's greatest urban public parks before heading on to enjoy an authentic food experience on The Hill. Learn the history and stories surrounding some of Forest Park's famous sites while aboard a shuttle guided by the Missouri Historical Society. The shuttle tour ends in the famous Hill neighborhood, where attendees will enjoy cocktails, delicious food, and great conversation at Guido's restaurant. This casual evening is open to all Golden Bears, alumni who previously have celebrated their 50th Reunion. 

4:30-5:30 p.m. | Forest Park shuttle tour guided by Missouri Historical Society
5:30 p.m. | Arrival at Guido's
5:30-6 p.m. | Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres
6 p.m. | Dinner
7:15 p.m. | First shuttle departs for return to campus
7:45 p.m. | Second shuttle departs for return to campus 

For those who do not wish to stay for dinner, a shuttle will be provided and will leave Guido's promptly at 5:45 p.m. 

Business casual attire is recommended.  

$35 per person

Saturday, May 11, 2024 | 5-6 p.m. | Baccalaureate Mass at the Catholic Student Center

Join us for our tradition of celebrating Baccalaureate Mass with WashU graduates, family, and friends!

Sunday, May 12, 2024

Some events have limited capacity and the event may sell out. We encourage you to register early.

Sunday, May 12, 2024 | 9-11 a.m. | See STL | More Than the Arch Bus Tour

From historical highlights (the Gateway Arch!) to hidden gems throughout north and south St. Louis, this tour explores distinctive St. Louis neighborhoods such as Carondelet and Dutchtown, in partnership with the Missouri Historical Society. Your tour guide will lead you in a unique look at our architecture, history, and thriving communities, all from the comfort of a shuttle.

Casual attire is recommended.

Capacity is limited. Advanced registration recommended.

$15 per adult
$10 per child (5 and under are free)

Sunday, May 12, 2024 | 9-11:30 a.m. | See STL | Central West End Neighborhood Walking Tour

Cross paths with literary giants like T. S. Eliot and Kate Chopin and marvel at opulent Gilded Age mansions while learning about the significant changes the neighborhood has seen over the years. And of course, a visit to the Central West End wouldn't be complete without a quick stroll through the monumental Cathedral Basilica! This private guided tour will be one to remember.

Comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate attire is recommended.

Capacity is limited. Advanced registration recommended.

$15 per adult
$10 per child (5 and under are free)

Sunday, May 12, 2024 | 10-11 a.m. | The Science of Cats and the Future of Nature with Jonathan Losos

Learn why Jonathan Losos, the William H. Danforth Distinguished University Professor and director of the Living Earth Collaborative, is teaching a course on cats and how it relates to the university’s efforts to conserve biodiversity and sustain life on Earth. In his presentation, Losos offers key revelations from his recent book, The Cat's Meow: How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to Your Sofa, and explores how scientists are using all the cutting-edge tools of biodiversity science (GPS tracking, genomics, forensic archaeology) to understand where cats came from, why they do what they do, and what the future may hold.

Casual attire is recommended.

Sunday, May 12, 2024 | 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Mother's Day Blues Luncheon Presented by the Black Alumni Council

Join WashU alumni and friends for a Mother’s Day blues lunch featuring live music by a St. Louis artist, presented by the Black Alumni Council (BAC). Founded in 1983, the BAC seeks to connect Black alumni with one another and the university. Today, there are more than 8,000 Black WashU alumni worldwide. All reunion celebrants and their guests are invited.

Business casual attire is recommended.

Capacity is limited. Advanced registration recommended.

Sunday, May 12, 2024 | 3-4:30 p.m. | Exploring WashU's History with Jim Burmeister

Learn some of the university's rich history, then take a golf cart tour highlighting a few of the campus' greatest treasures. The former executive director of University Relations and Commencement, Jim Burmeister is also known affectionately as the University’s “Walking History Book.” Jim will present 30 minutes of WashU history, and then reunion celebrants will take a golf cart tour to see campus.

Comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate attire is recommended.

Capacity is limited. Advanced registration is recommended.

Sunday, May 12, 2024 | 6-9:30 p.m. | Golden Bear Gala

Join fellow Golden Bear reunion celebrants for a gala at the beautiful Spink Pavilion. The majestic stone gatehouse was built in 1859 to serve as the main entrance to Missouri Botanical Garden. It has since been restored into a beautiful event space that sits on the main plaza overlooking large reflection pools surrounded by the garden. You will spend the evening enjoying cocktails, dinner, and dancing, while mingling and catching up with old friends in a beautiful garden setting.

6:00 p.m. | Shuttle boards at Brookings Loop
6:30 p.m. | Event begins at Spink Pavilion  

Cocktail attire is recommended.

Complimentary valet or self-park options are available at Missouri Botanical Garden. Shuttle transportation is available from WashU to Missouri Botanical Garden leaving promptly at 6:00 p.m.

$70 per person

Monday, May 13, 2024

Some events have limited capacity and the event may sell out. We encourage you to register early.

Monday, May 13, 2024 | 7 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Golden Bear Breakfast and Commencement Ceremony

Join the 50th reunion celebrants and families for a light breakfast, available beginning at 7 a.m. in Dains Dining Hall (1st floor Danforth University Center). Please be sure to arrive by 8 a.m. to be ushered to the reserved Golden Bear seating area at Commencement.

7 a.m. | Breakfast
8 a.m. | Proceed to reserved seating
9 a.m. | Commencement ceremony
11:30 a.m. | Post-Commencement reception

Comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate casual attire is recommended.

Monday, May 13, 2024 | 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Baccalaureate Open House at the Catholic Student Center

Alumni are invited to celebrate graduates at the Baccalaureate Open House. Food, drinks, and good company are guaranteed.

Reunion Giving

Many reunion celebrants give in appreciation of their WashU experience. Others give in the spirit of friendly competition with other celebrating classes. Each and every gift supports a best-in-class educational experience for today's WashU students.

Tuition revenue covers only 60% of the cost of providing a WashU education. Reunion class gifts and other annual fund gifts help cover the remainder in the form of scholarships, research funding, faculty support, facilities improvements, and much more.

Additional Questions