The event drew a diversity of attendees, from recent grads to professionals
Nikki Carrido MBA ’09 says attending Chaminade’s first reunion held in the Pacific Northwest was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up. She’d never met any of the other alumni in attendance, but immediately felt a special bond with her fellow Silverswords, she said.
“My biggest takeaway was the realization that Chaminade has such a strong and supportive alumni network,” Carrido said. “It was inspiring to see how successful and engaged our fellow graduates are, and how much we all value the education and experiences we received at Chaminade.”
The reunion in Seattle was held Sept. 26, and Chaminade President Lynn Babington was in attendance.
Alumni who came out ranged from recent graduates to experienced professionals.
Barbara Jeanne “BJ” Whitman ’74, MBA ’79 was initially afraid she would feel out of place at the event, held at Ivar’s Salmon House on Lake Union. “I thought they were going to be all these young alumni,” she said, with a chuckle. “But there was actually someone else who was a year older.”
Months in the planning, the Seattle reunion was organized by Chaminade Director of Alumni Relations Jodi-Anne Yoshida MBA ’23 and Director of Development Heidi Bow. They had modest expectations for the event, saying they hadn’t anticipated the appetite for a Silversword reunion in the Pacific Northwest.
The purpose of the gathering was to foster relationships, share university updates, and offer a networking opportunity, said Bow, adding that the event exceeded their expectations.
During the course of the evening, attendees introduced themselves and shared their favorite Chaminade memories. Meanwhile, Babington updated alumni on new initiatives at the University.
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She described the event as a success, noting the impressive diversity of the group—with class years from 1973 to 2009 in attendance.
Carrido thought the reunion was a “fantastic networking opportunity.” She even met a potential sponsorship connection for her nonprofit, all from a simple conversation.
“It truly showed me the power of the Chaminade community,” Carrido said.
Whitman and Carrido hope that another reunion will be organized in the future, a sentiment echoed by Rev. Kizzie Elizabeth Jones ’90. She said the event sparked an important memory for her from her time at Chaminade, when she learned in her classes about the impacts of inequality in society.
“It was a huge ‘aha’ moment for me as I realized it was my education at Chaminade that fueled my commitment to work for change,” Jones said. “I was in awe as I listened to each alumni as he or she shared where and how they were now serving in society.”
