November 10, 2025

"I was very moved by the reunion and left with a deep gratitude for the opportunity I had to go to Bennington. For me, it was a life-changing opportunity that gave me tools to create a wonderful life filled with art and ideas."

“Everything came together so beautifully, and I truly had one of the best weekends of my life. I actually got teary eyed after leaving campus.”

“This was my first chance in 30 years to reconnect with old friends and the place of Bennington. It was deeply therapeutic and important. I am so glad for the opportunity.”

“With the most breathtaking fall weather serving as a stunning backdrop, I was welcomed by an atmosphere filled with curiosity and warmth from everyone—from staff to passionate alumni. Each event I attended was engaging, with discussions that left me inspired. The wonderful food, largely supplied by our campus Purple Carrot Farm, was absolutely outstanding.”

“I like having parents, students, and alumni together at reunion. The energy and enthusiasm was contagious and fulfilling. I felt connected to the spirit of the College and am proud that progressive education is alive and well at Bennington.”

That’s just a small selection of the overwhelmingly positive feedback from Reunion attendees. But, don’t worry–we heard your constructive feedback, too, and will put that into mix for the next Reunion in 2028. Mark your calendars! 

We’re still accepting your Reunion feedback; just fill out this survey.

If you didn’t attend, we have a survey for you, too. We want to know what kept you from taking part in Reunion.

The work continues, however, and I appreciate the alumni I’ve connected with post-Reunion to keep building on the weekend’s positive energy. I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed hearing some of the alumni-student connections made at Reunion and how they are continuing! From sharing advice by email and scheduling Zoom calls, to connecting via LinkedIn or sharing book collections with aspiring architects, it’s all so wonderful to see! It’s deeply meaningful to the students.

Throughout Reunion, I met with alumni to advocate for relaunching an Alumni Association, which was disbanded by the College in 1997. This association will be critical to keeping connections going in between these All-Class Reunions every three years. If you didn’t make it Reunion but would like to be part of a follow-up conversation on the current plans, goals, and objectives, fill out this form or simply email me. We had a phenomenal discussion the last day of Reunion, and I am hard at work with some stellar alumni volunteers and trustees to launch the association and begin to develop a national steering committee and seed some regional and city chapters.

I am currently working to find hosts and venues for alumni events during Field Work Term so interested students can attend. If you are able to host a small gathering in Los Angeles, Boston, or San Francisco, please email me. We have a location lined up for New York City, so stay tuned for details.

In addition, we announced pilot projects that will put alumni in the classroom! The first—Bennington Networks—will launch in Spring 2026 and pair alumni mentors with Bennington seniors for a full term to help them prepare for a post-Bennington life. You can fill out an information form if you’re interested. 

The second pilot course is titled: Life After Bennington: A Curated Exposition of Bennington Alumni and How They Transitioned from College to Career, which will feature eight to ten alumni over the course of the Spring term. This course will feature presentations and conversations with Bennington alumni to provide guidance to current students about how to leverage their own experience in designing their education to the next step in their growth: designing a career. If you’d like more information and to be considered as one of alumni visiting speakers, email me. We are prioritizing in-person presenters but are also open to virtual presentations.

Finally, if you haven’t checked out Bennington Connects—a closed community for alumni and students to network and find mentoring, Field Work Term, and job opportunities—please do. You can find alumni by region, profession, and class year, too. 

 

Onward,

Shay Totten ’91
Director of Alumni and Constituent Engagement