Iconic Center Hall

It’s that time of the year again (not the end of the fiscal year – already covered that one. BTW – are you on the Honor Roll?)

The Runge clan tradition is a July 4th get together somewhere…

This year the centerpiece will be a Disney cruise on the “Wonder” (I am the guy down on the corner of Pike and Washington selling pencils later today!!!)

That will follow 3 days of sightseeing in Vancouver, CA.  Temperatures up that way just a tad bit cooler than down here.

Are we excited?  Sure.

The crew totals 16…including 6 adults.  That leaves almost a football team at or under 16 years old.  I gave up on 5-Hour Energy….looking for the 5-Day version.

So, you may get a short post or two from GaBunge while I’m out and about.

New year pledge is to do a much better job of keeping the Report current…  If I can’t we’ll just close her down.  I haven’t bee very good with posting lately – fully realize that.

The Disney Wonder

It’s a hot, hazy day on campus…summer has finally set in.  Temp trying to get to 90…humidity seemingly helping it along.  Pretty quiet on campus…for the most part…

For those of us in Advancement, it’s a busy time.  For our students off campus, it’s a busy time as well.

Interested in reading about our students and…

Immersion trips?  Click here.

Internships and Summer Business Programs?  Click here.

Glee Club trip to Ecuador?  Click here.

They are all great opportunities for our young men.  Brought to them by?  You guessed it – your support of Wabash.

These life-changing opportunities don’t grow on trees – they are here because you and many others care about Wabash and her students.

It’s that time of the year again – the end of the fiscal year (June 30).  I hope I can find your name on the Honor Roll – it’s right here.

If it’s not there yet, no sweat.  You can fix that.  Simply click here and make an on-line gift.  It’s easy.  Can’t give a lot right now?  No sweat.  Simply set up a credit card payment.  Think about it.  For $8.34 a month, (a TWR or two) you make a $100.00 a year gift to Wabash.  I’ll bet you won’t miss that $8.34…

But your gift WILL make a difference to Wabash…as part of a scholarship, financial aid, an immersion trip, etc.  The Annual Fund helps do all of it…

I hope you’ll join me.  This good place changes lives and you can be one of those change agents.  Tell them the Grunge sent you.

Beta House – June 6, 2014

I was making my way back to the office on Friday of the Big Bash and it looked like Commencement Week, 2009, all over again.  Five Betas from the Class of 2009 we taking it all in…  The agenda, it seems, was exactly what a reunion agenda should be: Take it all in.  Celebrate friendships with life-long friends.  Relive and remember.  If the fuel for such an event is TWR – that’s OK.

The smiles say it all, I think.

TKE House – June 7, 2014

Fast forward almost exactly 24 hours…

I rounded the corner to check on the TKE house setup for dinner. The same scene replayed by the guys from 2009.  Different five guys…different fraternity house…same exact experiences.

Wabash = Their Home.  For Life.

I’ve never thought of the Big Bash as an onion.  I know that some of our attendees wake up feeling like they chewed on several onions…but that’s another story for another time.  In reality, when you peel it all away, the Big Bash is a summer afternoon spent on the porch catching up with your friends.  We just stretch that over two and a half days so more friends can get on the porch.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  We have tried to fine-tune programming that keeps you moving and offers you the chance to mingle with others.  Think of it this way – we give you a reason to move from the front porch…to the side porch…to the back porch…to your friend’s porch.  You decide how quickly you want to move and select the other porches you visit.  We try to keep you nourished and hydrated. (You can insert your favorite TWR quip right here.)

We hope you’ll always stop by …as President Hess told you, this is your home.

The 50th Reunion Medallions

The 2014 Edition of the Big Bash is complete.  By most accounts it was a success.  382 alumni – from the Class of 1949 to the Class of 2014 – signed the Alumni Register making it the second largest reunion weekend ever.  Alumni came from 8 countries and 36 states.

The 10th reunion class won Chapel Sing and Jacob Pactor ’04 shared the Dorman Hughes award with Ken Crawford ’69.  Wabash set three new records – 60th reunion attendance, 55th reunion attendance, and 45th reunion attendance.  The Class of 1959 now holds both the 50th and 55th reunion attendance records and shares the 50th reunion participation record at 50% of the Class returning.

We’ve already begun plans for the 2015 Big Bash and we’ll take into account all of the suggestions we had this year to make the next one even better.

Our Sons of Wabash student leaders group had a great time.  They really enjoyed meeting alumni back for the reunion.

Current students pour over the Yearbooks of alumni back on campus

2015 Big Bash – June 5-7, 2015 – Mark your calendars now.

Check Out That Sky!

We paid it forward yesterday…weather-wise, that is.  Yesterday’s rain has given way to cooler temps and cloudless skies.

Great weather for the Big Bash.

We’re hoping for a record crowd!

An Old Guy’s Name Tag So He Can Remember Who He Is

We’re less than 48 hours away.  Of course, the phones are still ringing…the last registrant was yesterday…we cut him some slack as he lives almost a mile away from the College.

“Glen” and I have been talking about the Bash…more than usual I think.  He’s a good wingman.  He sees things as they should be seen.

Now, back to the Bash…

A couple of things, plus 1, I always look forward to at the Bash.

1.  Chapel Sing.  I know, for some Chapel Sing makes their stomach turn – bad memories.  However, it’s probably the biggest rite of passage at Wabash.  Was then…is now.  The best part is everyone up there singing together.  I’ll probably miss that part the most…

2.  The Chapel.  The Chapel is a magnet – people are drawn there all weekend long.  I think the Chapel is the heart and soul of Wabash…the Chapel is where we go to make sure, absolutely sure, all is well at Wabash. Byron K., Bill Placher, Andy Ford, Vic Powell…I sense their presence in there.

3.  Spouses/partners/significant others.  Almost every reunion one of them will come up to me and say: “Now I get why he is the way he is…”

Big Bash 2014 – Hope to see a couple of you 9 here…you know who you are!

You get to see it first – the 2014 version of the Big Bash hat.  I didn’t know what it looked like until I opened the box!  I like it – a little simpler than the last version.  I also like the back…it says  lot about Wabash.

We’re expecting almost 400 alumni to return…with spouses, partners, significant others, kids, etc.  Should be a great time.  Hope to see YOU on campus.