Alumni Relations

Alums Cindy Slomowitz Goldstein '82 (left) and Linda Jaffe Vodovis '82 (right) roomed together at UD and became best friends. Their daughters--Lara Ilene Goldstein '08 (second from left) and Ma’ayan Yafa Vodovis '08--were born a few months apart and, through their moms, became friends growing up and also lived together at UD.

On Saturday, May 31, Commencement exercises were held for the University of Delaware's Class of 2008 at Delaware Stadium. In addition to cheering on the graduates, the enthusiastic crowd of more than 24,000 cheered on Commencement speaker and Hall-of-Fame baseball player, Cal Ripken Jr. While Ripken was the most well-known participant at Commencement, he was certainly not the only star on the field. Following the Class of 2008 onto the field was the alumni delegate procession, a group of graduates representing alumni from the 1950s to the present decade.

It is a UD tradition for two alumni from each class, as well as all alums from the 50th reunion class, to be invited to march in the procession. All delegates and their guests were invited to a pre-Commencement reception in the Carpenter Club at the Bob Carpenter Center where Ripken and UD President Patrick Harker spoke. Harker welcomed the delegates and emphasized their importance, symbolic and tangible. "As alumni delegates, representing the last seven decades of Delaware graduates, you are very visible proof that that our graduates' ties to the University of Delaware last a lifetime. The education you received here, the friends you made, the experiences you encountered helped to shape and direct your life decisions. Whatever paths you have taken in your life, your relationship with the University of Delaware remains a constant connection. As you process today, you symbolize that relationship for the graduating Class of 2008."

Of the 60 alumni delegates, 43 were a parent, sibling or family member of one of the graduates. In fact, Rosie Seagraves '08 was especially well-represented by delegates; her father and mother, Richard Seagraves Sr. ‘77 and Deborah Bartsch Seagraves ‘83, brother and sister-in-law, Richard Seagraves II '05 and Ellen Tweed Seagraves '05, and brother Andrew Seagraves '07 walked in honor of Rosie's achievements. In addition the Class of 1958-the 50th Reunion Class-was represented by 25 delegates. The alumni delegate procession was led by two members of the Alumni Association, Darelle Lake Riabov '73, Jennifer Orendorf Baur '95 and the 2008 Warner & Taylor recipients, Zachary Schafer '08 and Carol Cipriani '08.

If you are interested in serving as a commencement delegate in the future, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (302)831-2341 or email AlumNet@udel.edu.

List of Delegates

The Alumni Association inducted members of the Class of 1958 into the Gold Guard
in honor of their 50th reunion at the University of Delaware. Members of the Gold
Guard are graduates who have achieved 50 years or more of alumni status. The
following alumni represent the Class of 1958 at the 159th Commencement.

Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson, Greg Drew