Alumni, students, faculty, staff, supporters and visitors connected on the main campus, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave., Fresno, September 22-25, 2022. Among the highlights:
- The Basketball Tip-off Dinner sold out the Warkentine Culture and Arts Center (CAC) with more than 215 people in attendance. Women’s player Maesyn Rix gave a powerful speech about her journey and time at FPU, while men’s player Darrin Person Jr. highlighted the upcoming season. Among the alumni and friends present was Gary Nachtigall, former head coach, athletic director and hall of fame member.
- The Center for Community Transformation brought 185 people to celebrate its 10th anniversary with a banquet in the Elizabeth V. Lyles Theater in the CAC. Jake Soberal, Bitwise CEO, was the speaker.
- The Lyles Theater hosted its first public concert with Artisans in Brass, a brass quintet that includes George Dougherty, D.M.A., director of bands and coordinator of instrumental music at FPU.
- Well over 100 people attended the soccer reunion with special jerseys given to all alumni. Participants in the co-ed reunion game included a couple from the Viking era. Past coaches Karl DeWazian and Ben Norton were there and everyone enjoyed a photo wall of past teams and other photos.
- About 45-50 alumni showed up to sing in the alumni choir reunion, with the audience filling the Edmund and Mary Janzen Grand Foyer in the CAC.
- The social work reunion included dinner from Chik-Fil-A, a prize drawing, greetings from new FPU President André Stephens, Ph.D., and plenty of lots of social time.
- The 20 former Sunbirds who played in the alumni men’s basketball game took the match down to the wire. The alumni water polo match at Sunnyside High School was also competitive, with more than 15 former men’s student-athletes there.
Gather ’22 also included Dinner in the Dining Hall—a lively event that filled the Shehadey Dining Room in Steinert Campus Center—family entertainment, live music and two meet-and-greets with André Stephens, Ph.D., FPU President, who attended many events with his wife, Beth.
Photos (top to bottom):
- Women’s soccer pioneers (left to right): Erin (O’Hare) Obwald, Nichole Mosqueda, Jennifer (Meneses) Becerra and Nadia (Rodriguez) Yamashita with coach Jaime Ramirez
- Members of Artisans in Brass (left to right): Rick Nichols, Dave Brown, Corey Dawson, Fred Powell and George Dougherty, D.M.A., FPU director of bands
- Men’s soccer alumni (left to right): Carlos Velasco, Jose Mejia, Fidel Chavez, Roberto Coronado, Jose Delgadillo, Pablo Campos, Alfredo Guzman (supporter since the early 80s) and Renato Bustamante
