True colors
Text by Jennifer Altmann, Katherine Federici Greenwood, and Fran Hulette; with additional reporting by PAW staff and Abigail Greene ’13, Giri Nathan ’13, and Jeanne Jackson DeVoe
Photographs by Beverly Schaefer, Frank Wojciechowski, Brian Wilson, Ricardo Barros, Sameer A. Khan, Christina Keddie ’03, Katherine Elgin ’13, Elizabeth Martin ’14, and David Dooley; illustrations by Steven Veach
Reunions weekend always is a celebration of Princeton spirit — but it would be hard to outdo this year’s event when it comes to panache.
Men returning for their 50th reunion coasted down the P-rade route on Segways or navigated the road while juggling or dancing in synchronized steps. Dogs were abundant: big ones festooned in orange and black; little ones — seemingly straight from their groomers — carried by their owners. Fashionistas had their day, too — from the chic green fatigues of “Hargadon’s Heroes” of the Class of 2007 and the spiffy and spotless Tiger Chef whites of 1992 to the extraordinary accomplishment of 1987: a Reunions jacket one could wear without embarrassment to a non-Reunions event.
Throughout the weekend, the 24,000-plus alumni and guests found a wealth of opportunities for work and play. They contemplated world events and performed community service. And they proved that they still knew how to party: dancing to “Princeton’s first rock band,” which blared “Johnny B. Goode” atop a truck accompanying 1962; doing the Mummers strut behind sequined string bands; and singing along with the headliners who popped up on Princeton stages: Jersey boy Jon Bon Jovi and Joan Jett in the 1987 tent, Grateful Dead bass guitarist Phil Lesh p’12 with jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan ’81 at Terrace Club, and Princeton’s own Nikki “2k” Muller ’05 performing her YouTube hit “The Ivy League Hustle” (see interview on page 76) at numerous campus appearances. Which all goes to show that though you may have left Princeton, Princeton hasn’t left you.
