Alumni Night: A Celebration of Memories and Cherished Mementos

On Friday, November 8, York College hosted its highly anticipated “Red, Black, and White Alumni Night,” bringing together alumni from across the decades for a joyful reunion. After a significant hiatus since the last alumni celebration, the event drew a vibrant crowd eager to reconnect and reminisce about their shared experiences.

^{Alumni celebrants gather in the college's Atrium for a reunion shot before parting again.}

Notable attendees included Sharon Davidson ‘82, York’s longtime registrar, and Wayne Hall from the Class of 1978, who attended with greetings from his wife, Derrah, also a member of the Class of ’78. Hall, a former three-term mayor of Hempstead, Long Island, is a regular at York events. The gathering also featured Michelle Mack Corley ’11, the current president of the Alumni Association, along with several association members. Other alumni included Robert Fernandez, PhD ’13; Andrew Jackson, ’90, a retired librarian and former director of the Langston Hughes Library; and Robert Sinclair, Jr. ’90, a senior manager of Public Affairs at AAA Northeast. For more on Mr. Sinclair, check out the “Cardinal Close-Up” .

Interim President Claudia Schrader, who initiated and hosted the event, expressed her pride in the extensive alumni network during her remarks at the cocktail reception. “I am impressed with the alumni community,” Dr. Schrader said. “I go out a lot, and I always meet at least two York alums.” She looks forward to connecting with even more alumni as her presidency progresses, stating, “There is homecoming, and then there is coming home. I was excited to meet all the alums who returned to the place that changed their lives. I was moved by their stories of how York impacted their lives and their commitment to paying it forward to our current students.”

Joery Francois, the administrative coordinator in the Office of Student Activities and a key figure in organizing the event, reflected on its success. “It was an enchanting, intimate evening for about 75 alumni from 1973 to 2024,” said Francois. “Guests experienced the Multimedia Art Gallery exhibit, walked down memory lane with the Library Archives, and had the opportunity to reconnect and inspire currently enrolled students. We literally rolled out the red carpet and lit up the night! From T-shirts and video testimonials to yearbooks and memorabilia, music, refreshments, and gifts, everyone had a great evening.”

A heartfelt thank you goes to the planning committee, led by Francois and Dr. Rachael Walton from Student Activities, for making the evening a memorable celebration of York’s vibrant alumni community.

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