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Alumni Career Blog - December 2019
As the VP for Strategy and Innovation for a technology company based here in Baltimore, I look at how we can build desirable, feasible, and viable solutions to some very challenging problems. Rewind almost 30 years, and it’s easy for me to recognize that Calvert Hall played an instrumental role in laying the foundation to look at problems from a critical-thinking perspective. And while I approach innovation in my job from a human-centered focus, I was super excited to bring that method to this year’s Homecoming and try to reimagine what that experience could look like… And I think we’ve stumbled on something awesome...
Working alongside Dewitt Bauer and the entire 2019 Homecoming Committee was an amazing and rewarding experience. Together, we helped to create a new Homecoming experience for over 1,000 alumni who choose to return and make this night a part of their holiday tradition, while also celebrating the traditions of the past. The entire committee was honored to play a small role in honoring the legacy of our longtime teacher, mentor, and friend, Mr. Augie Miceli, by creating the Augie Miceli Memorial Homecoming Tent. On a night dubbed, "one of his favorite nights of the year," we celebrated Mr. Miceli's life and work alongside generations of his former students, and was highlighted by an 8 pm Scotch toast, given by Brother John Kane, Augie Miceli Jr.
"Augie loved this night, the night before Thanksgiving," said Augie Miceli Jr., "It's a night when we reconnect, bond, and share stories with our friends. My dad loved his stories."
Also new to the 2019 Homecoming experience was street tacos from alumni-owned Wayward Smokehouse (Sean White '00), Cigar Lounge, sponsored by Brooks Financial (Paul Brooks '82), craft beers by Waverly Brewing Company (Roy Fisher Jr. '89), and also by Key Brewing Company (with the help of Matt Crow '85), a Scotch and Bourbon tasting, courtesy of Augie Miceli Jr '82. Additionally, the night featured a tech tent, hosted by Ed Mullin '83, allowing attendees to battle one another using remote-controlled robots in a 12x12 ring-like arena. The tech tent also offered a MarioKart tournament.
These new experiences around the traditional Homecoming event offers a unique atmosphere for anyone looking to return and reconnect. My hope is that this becomes a mainstay of everyone's Thanksgiving tradition. Meet up at The Hall, raise a toast to Augie, do your thing around town, then cap it off with a Turkey Bowl win at the game the next morning.
Planning for next year's Homecoming is already underway. The committee is already working to measure the success of this year's event and looking for opportunities to build and scale to make 2020 an even more significant event.
We hope we're able to continue the traditions that have been built by many alumni and supporters. The gym for class reunions and silent auction, the cafe to sit down and eat. But we love that we can now try new things and make it more meaningful and accessible for many. Who knows, maybe we'll look to the past and bring back some old favorites as well.
