September/October 2008

Reunion Giving Surges Past $100 Million

By MIT News Staff

50th class Despite the rain, class marshals Gary Fallick (left) and Daniel Holland and Alumni Association president Toni Schuman ’58 keep spirits high as the 50th-reunion class prepares for the traditional march into commencement. Credit: Sakakini

Multimedia   See a slideshow of Tech Reunions 2008.

Nexi, the affable robot, stole the show during Technology Day when it rolled onto the Kresge Auditorium stage and introduced its creator, associate professor Cynthia Breazeal, SM '93, ScD '00. The Media Lab robot exemplified the innovative research presented at Tech Reunions 2008, which drew more than 3,240 alumni and guests. Nexi's spectacular presence was, however, matched by the announcement of the reunion giving total--$100,578,568, nearly double 2007's $54 million. The Class of 2008 also offered stellar results: 64.4 percent of graduates contributed, for a total of $16,524. Attendees came from 44 states and 24 countries.