2019 Black Alumni Reunion kicks off Sept. 12

Ohio University Bobcats strike a pose inside a photo booth at the 2016 Black Alumni Reunion. Get ready, Bobcats! The photo booth is back for 2019’s Black Alumni Reunion.

Tyrone Carr, MED ’00, has been attending Ohio University’s Black Alumni Reunion (BAR) for years, but this year’s event will be particularly special for him.

Recently named the special assistant to the vice president for University Advancement while retaining his role as executive director of the Interlink Alliance, Carr is working with BAR’s 26-member planning committee, consisting of fellow Bobcats as well as OHIO faculty, staff and administrators, to coordinate this year’s festivities. He’s also excited to be attending BAR for the first time with his two Bobcat sons, recent OHIO graduate Kaliq Carr, BSM ’18, who now resides in Sacramento, California, and incoming first-year student Rhys Carr.

“It’s so rewarding to be playing a role in an event that has been such a wonderful part of my Ohio University story and to be a part of bringing our Bobcat family together,” Carr said. “We love seeing everyone come back to these bricks!”

One of the Ohio University Alumni Association’s signature alumni events, BAR is held on the Athens Campus every three years and welcomes all members of the Bobcat family, past, present and future, to a weekend dedicated to recognizing and celebrating OHIO’s legacy and commitment to diversity.

This year’s event is scheduled for Sept. 12-15 and will feature opportunities for Bobcats to reconnect with their alma mater and their fellow graduates, pay tribute to black alumni who have made a profound difference at Ohio University and beyond, and engage with current students.

“Black Alumni Reunion gives all OHIO alumni a great excuse to come back home and reminisce,” said Jillian Causey, BSH ’13, who serves on the event’s planning committee. “The BAR was one of the highlights of my collegiate career and is one of my favorite things about being a Bobcat because you just feel like a family.”

Tyrone Carr, MED ’00, special assistant to the vice president for Ohio University Advancement and executive director of the Interlink Alliance, models this year’s Black Alumni Reunion T-shirt available through The Bobcat Store. Photo by Max Catalano, BSVC ’20

This year’s BAR will offer something for everyone, including the return of many of weekend’s most popular festivities, including the following Alumni Association-sponsored events:

Thursday, Sept. 12

Welcome Reception, 5-7 p.m., Tailgreat Park: Kick off the weekend with this gathering along the banks of the Hocking River, complete with a welcome from Ohio University President M. Duane Nellis and a special performance by OHIO’s beloved Marching 110. Registration is required.

Friday, Sept. 13

Student and Alumni Networking, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Baker University Center 240-242: Designed to foster dialogue between OHIO students and alumni and provide an opportunity for students to network with graduates who are committed to their success, this event will feature a panel of Bobcats past and present and a welcome from Vice President for Student Affairs Jason Pina. Registration is required.

Variety Show, 7 p.m., Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium: The day will end with another gathering of OHIO students and alumni – this time showcasing their talents. Thirteen Bobcats have already agreed to take the stage for one of the weekend’s most entertaining events.

Saturday, Sept. 14

Ebony Bobcat Network (EBN) Annual Breakfast Meeting, 9-11 a.m., Walter Hall Rotunda: Not only is this year’s breakfast free, but there is much to celebrate in 2019. A group of black alumni established the EBN in 2010 after meeting with then-President Roderick J. McDavis, BSED ’70, during BAR. Nine years later, President Emeritus McDavis is returning to his alma mater to keynote the EBN Annual Breakfast Meeting and to join the group in celebrating a recent achievement – surpassing its $300,000 fundraising goal and endowing its first Urban Scholarship Fund. The EBN Annual Breakfast Meeting is open to everyone, but registration is required, and seating is limited.

Through the Decades Cookout, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Tailgreat Park: Nothing screams family reunion like a good barbecue! Join your fellow OHIO alumni for an afternoon of food and fun that will include a photo booth and music provided by Aaron Thomas, BSC ’01, better known as Athens’ own DJ A-roc! Photos of alumni, grouped by the decade in which they graduated, will be taken at 1 p.m. Registration is required for this event.

Black Alumni Reunion Gala, 5:30-9 p.m., Baker University Center Ballroom: One of the weekend’s most popular activities and its signature fundraising event, this formal occasion pays tribute to OHIO’s African-American heritage while honoring some of its trailblazers. Alumna Janelle Coleman, BSJ ’95, who is a member of the Ohio University Board of Trustees, will emcee this year’s gala, and award-winning journalist and OHIO’s 2015 Alumnus of the Year Clarence Page, BSJ ’69, HON ’93, will deliver the evening’s keynote address. The evening will culminate with the presentation of this year’s Ebony Bobcat Network Trailblazer Awards, which will be given posthumously to:

• Alvin C. Adams, BSJ ’59. One of the first African Americans to earn a journalism degree from Ohio University, Adams is known for his journalism career and his dedication to the local community. He wrote forThe Chicago DefenderandJetmagazine, covering the civil rights movement, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. After returning to the Athens area, Adams co-founded the Multicultural Genealogical Center in Chesterhill, Ohio, and served as the inspiration behind OHIO’s African American Research and Service Institute. OHIO’s Adam Hall, which opened in 2007, is named in his honor. The Scripps College of Communication will be hosting several events, including the Alvin Adams Symposium, on Friday, Sept. 13, to highlight the work and legacy of this distinguished Bobcat. For information on those events, click here.
• William “Bill” Allen, MED ’69, PhD ’77. An outstanding OHIO alumnus and administrator, Allen worked for Ohio University from 1969 to 2006, serving within University College as an academic advisor, director of advising, coordinator of the bachelor of general studies program, assistant dean and associate dean. Among his accomplishments, Allen launched LINKS, the University’s first mentoring program focused on improving retention of students from underrepresented groups, and created a nationally recognized faculty advising program to help students who have not decided a major. OHIO’s Allen Student Advising Center, founded in 2007, is named in his honor.

Registration for the Black Alumni Reunion Gala is required, and tickets are limited.

These are just a few of the activities scheduled for the weekend. From campus tours and open houses to a ball celebrating Alpha Phi Alpha’s 100^th anniversary at OHIO, the Ohio University Alumni Association as well as campus and community partners can’t wait to welcome alumni back to the bricks. For a full schedule of events and registration, click here.

The Bobcat Store is offering BAR merchandise in honor of this special weekend and will be hosting a pop-up store, offering BAR apparel while supplies last, on the first floor of Baker University Center from 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, and 9 a.m. to noon Friday, Sept. 13. Check out the official BAR T-shirt and this limited-edition BAR hat. Orders placed by Sunday, Aug. 25, will be available for pick-up during BAR registration. Orders placed after Aug. 25 will be shipped to the buyer.

The Bobcat Store is also selling an EBN polo shirt and EBN button-down shirt.