When it first became clear that Cal Lutheran’s Homecoming 2020 would be a virtual event that would contain a full-month of diverse programming, we surveyed our alumni base to see what segments of our alumni population would be most interested in engaging in live virtual events versus pre-produced content that could be accessed at their leisure. Ironically, the group that was most interested in participating in a live virtual event was the very group who are the least technically inclined–our Club 50 members.
Club 50 is a group of alumni who have achieved 50th reunion status (the classes of 1964-1969), and enjoy celebrating together at Homecoming every year while inducting the newest class into their ranks (the class of 1970 at this past year's event). Creating a live virtual event for them was an interesting challenge, but completely worth the enormous effort that went into it, given the outstanding results that were achieved.
We created a polished virtual presentation chock-full of nostalgic entertainment and live presentations from current university leadership, as well as familiar classmates from the early years of the university. The mix of humor, nostalgia, and meaningful remarks struck the right balance to keep the audience laughing or wiping away tears. Based on the feedback from our post-event surveys, the event was well-received and greatly appreciated by all who attended.
From the Judges
There was a great variety involved with this program, and the blend of live and virtual made for a good overall feel.
