From the Nominator

"A Reunion Amongst Rare Books was a personalized reunion in New York City for the Thomas Jefferson School, a small day/boarding school located in St. Louis, Missouri. The reunion was an opportunity for alumni on the East Coast to gather for a special evening. The reunion guest speaker, Arthur Bahr, is an alumnus of Thomas Jefferson School and a professor at MIT. He spoke about the relationship between 12th-century manuscripts and modern-day figure skating. 

The reunion was catered and featured a sophisticated cocktail list, as well as a popular St. Louis canned beer. Props that celebrated both New York and St. Louis were available for photo opportunities.    

The venue was chosen for its resonance with alumni. Thomas Jefferson School prides itself on its appreciation of the classics. What better place to host a reunion than a rare book room on the top floor of New York’s largest and most treasured book store? The Strand Bookstore is a store of wonder for the literary-minded and intellectually curious—qualities valued by students, faculty, and alumni of Thomas Jefferson School. This personalized, small reunion event was the first of its kind and also served as an opportunity to introduce the newest head of school in an intimate setting.   

The event was well attended and well received. Forty-five attendees amounted to 6.4 percent of our total alumni base. It was rated “most memorable” event thus far and also received more “likes” on our social media channel than any other event."

From the Judges

The panel really enjoyed this submission as an example of an excellent small, unique event with lots of “bang” for little “buck.” From program structure to venue selection, the judges felt this event could serve as a model to adopt or adapt for other institutions that are looking to offer intimate and meaningful regional engagement opportunities.