“It’s almost time!” The clock is counting down to 6:00 p.m. at Elsie Rooftop in New York City. Lead event organizer and longtime Brown volunteer Alexandra Mandis ’95, P’23 is adjusting Brown banners, centerpieces, and name tags alongside fellow alumni Kwame Campbell ’92, Denielle Bertarelli-Webb ’95, and Stephen Gilheeney ’95. In moments, dozens of alumni will be walking through the doors of the Times Square Terrace — and Mandis couldn’t be more ecstatic. “It will be great to see some familiar faces and meet new Brunonians!” she says.
The Manhattan location was just one of 23 simultaneous “Classes of the 90s” get-togethers. On the night of October 22, more than 500 Brown alumni reunited in locations ranging from Hawaii to Barcelona, Seattle to Miami — in bars, restaurants, offices, and even the homes of alumni volunteers.
The network of multi-city mini-reunions was the Class of 1995's brainchild. “My hope is that alumni reminisce about their Brown days, meet new local friends who share the common bond of our alma mater, and leave re-energized to become engaged or increase their engagement in the Brown community — whether that be locally or on College Hill,” Mandis says. “I am so excited that we managed to pull this off and hope this is something that others can follow.”
The idea for these events originated after a successful Class of 1995 gathering in New York in May of 2017, when Mandis and 1995 class president Mark Tracy set their sights on reproducing it in multiple cities. With the help of class leaders, Advancement staff, and about 60 tireless alumni volunteers throughout the world, the concept became a reality.
“Every time I am reminded of the incredible connections I made at Brown, the memories that we forged there, and the friendships I have continued to develop, I know that I am galvanized to participate in the Brown community,” said Mandis. “I hope that all attendees will come away inspired to deepen their connection to the Brown family.”
And by all accounts — including the aforementioned high-spirited NYC event overlooking Times Square — they certainly did. See the evening unfold in photos below:
