Hundreds of alumni from around the world logged on this month to reconnect with the university and one another during CEU 2021 Online Reunion Week.
From June 7 to 12, Reunion Week featured several interactive social, volunteer and career events, highlighted by the Online Reunion Gala on Friday, June 11. The gala, plus an invite-only virtual President’s Reception beforehand, drew approximately 200 alumni from as far away as Australia.
Reunion Week marked the final appearance of outgoing President and Rector Michael Ignatieff at an alumni event. He thanked alumni for standing with CEU and lauded them as one of the University’s key strengths.
“We’re one of the universities with the most international alumni community,” he said during the gala. “There’s no other community like it in the world.”
Now in its second year, online reunion week was held in lieu of in-person events traditionally held in Budapest every May. Despite another challenging year of lockdowns and ‘Zoom fatigue’ more than 600 alumni registered for the week’s workshops, webinars, mini reunions, virtual pub quiz and more.
Events included:
- Career Webinar (June 7) CEU Career Services Director Ann Gagliardi hosted “Making the Most of LinkedIn”, to help alumni connect with CEU alumni more effectively.
- Alumni Leadership Forum (June 9-10): This traditional two-day forum for alumni volunteers included 15 alumni volunteers, plus CEU staff and Alumni Scholarship Recipients. Alumni shared their inspiration for volunteering, learned about pivoting volunteer opportunities during the Covid crisis, and helped us plan for the 30th anniversary. Want to volunteer for CEU? Learn more.
- Online Reunion Quiz (June 9): Just for fun! This online test of intellectual prowess pitted a team of CEU alumni versus students. (The students won.)
- Alumni Webinar (June 10): CEU alumnus and leadership consultant Gabor Holch (IRES ’98) hosted a lively, interactive session on “Getting Things Done with Virtual Teams”.
- “The Lifelong Business School” (June 10): An introduction to the CEU EMBA Alumni Course Offering Program, hosted by Professor Maciej Kisilowski, CEU Executive MBA Faculty Program Director.
- Online Reunion Gala (June 11): The main event! More than 125 alumni joined from around the world for main event, mini class reunions, alumni DJ set and more. See full story.
Reunion Week’s real draw was the opportunity for alumni around the world to log on and see old friends and classmates. To share stories. To learn from one another. And to celebrate the power of CEU’s global alumni family, and the shared experience that unites it. Genuine connection was evident at each and every event.
A very sincere THANK YOU to all our fellow alumni and friends who joined us this year. We hope to meet again soon, in person.
Did you attend any reunion week events? Tell us what you thought!