Alumni Weekend Schedule and Events

(All events are subject to change between now and Alumni Weekend.)

• Thursday, July 24, 2025

  Grotto Service Project, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

  Join the “Lourdes Army” in a service project to refresh and beautify the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto in time for the annual Twilight Mass. No special skills are required to take part. 

   

  Welcome Dinner, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

  Gather for dinner and drinks with friends to mark the official start of Alumni Weekend. 

   

  Twilight Mass in Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto, 7:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 

  Celebrate the beauty of our campus, the work of the Lourdes Army, and the opportunity we have to return to Loretto.

• Friday, July 25, 2025

  Alumni Weekend Kickoff BBQ, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

  Enjoy drinks and a Hawaiian barbeque, including a full pig, prepared by the Torvian team, along with numerous yard games, a fire pit, and dancing with the evening’s DJ playing hits throughout the years!

• Saturday, July 26, 2025

  Loretto Car Show, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 

  Spend Saturday morning with a leisurely stroll down St. Catherine Street for the Loretto Car Show. Any alumni interested in showing a car should contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at 814-472-3015, who in turn will get you in touch with the proper folks in Loretto. 

   

  The 37th Annual Fr. Bede Run & Walk with the Friars, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. 

  Start your Saturday with a run, jog, walk, or however you see fit with the Franciscan Friars for a tradition that continues to honor and remember former English professor and Red Flash track coach, Fr. Bede Hines ’43, T.O.R. 

   

  The Alumni Prayer & Remembrance Service, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. 

  This prayer service remembers those of from our SFU family who have gone before us, from fellow classmates to faculty and staff who made this campus a home to so many. After the formal prayer services and reading the list of deceased since last Alumni Weekend, there will be an opportunity to share memories of those whose impact on our lives is not forgotten. 

   

  50th Anniversary Brunch, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 

  Members of the Class of 1975 are invited to join Fr. Malachi Van Tassell, T.O.R., Ph.D., President, at a celebration brunch in honor of their 50th anniversary. And per tradition, alumni who have previously celebrated their golden anniversaries are also encouraged to attend and celebrate with the newest members to the 50th Club! At the end of the brunch, class photos will be taken for the Class of 1975 as well as for the classes of any others in attendance. 

   

  Classes Without Quizzes: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

  Join Saint Francis faculty as they present on timely or fun topics within their field. Topics and faculty will be announced closer to Alumni Weekend 2025. 

   

  Wine Tasting with Phil Tartaglione ’74, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

  Phil returns to Alumni Weekend to host our annual wine tasting. Stay tuned for this year’s theme, which will be as informative and energetic as in years past. 

   

  The Connors Fine Arts Center & Resinski Black Box Theatre Showcase, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

  Don’t just see the Connors Fine Arts Center—experience it! Alumni artwork will be on display, instrumental guitar music will welcome guests, and songs will be performed by alumni from anniversary years in the Resinski Black Box Theatre. The exact performance schedule will be released closer to the weekend. 

   

  Tour of the Shrines and Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

  Originally built by the steel magnate Charles Schwab as his summer residence, the mansion now houses friars of the Sacred Heart Province. Enjoy this tour of the gardens surrounding the estate. 

   

  Marriage Vow Renewal, 4:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. 

  All couples are invited to participate in a renewal of their wedding vows in the chapel before the Alumni Mass. The brief ecumenical services is open to all Christian couples. Each alumni couple will receive a souvenir keepsake. 

   

  Alumni Mass, 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. 

  We come together in the newly refurbished Immaculate Conception Chapel to remember alumni we have lost over the last year, to celebrate the bonds of faith that bring us together, and to give thanks for our collective journeys that brought us back home to Loretto. 

   

  SFU Night at the Altoona Curve with Postgame Fireworks, 6:30 p.m. 

  For baseball fans (and firework fans, too) in attendance at Alumni Weekend, you’re welcome to join our SFU Night at the Altoona Curve. With special discount tickets and not a bad seat in the stadium, join an evening that’s family-friendly for all involved. 

  Please note: you cannot purchase tickets for the Curve game through Alumni Weekend registration. A separate purchase link via the Altoona Curve will appear here once it’s ready. 

   

  Alumni Weekend Celebration, 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

  To provide more table seating for all attendees, we’re extending the party to all of the JFK Student Center! Upstairs in the Student Lounge will be the food, a bar, and music throughout the years pumping over the sound system. If you want a quieter time, though, or are looking for additional table seating, downstairs in Frankie’s we will offer an additional bar, soft acoustic guitar covers, and a roaring fire with a smores station. Mingle between the two floors, or pick the one that suits you best and hang out all night! Also, class photos for 1980 and younger will be taken during the evening, so make sure you don’t miss them! 

   

  Class Anniversary Photos, 7:00 p.m. 

  The Classes of 1975 and Earlier: Your class photos will be taken at the conclusion of your 50th Anniversary Celebration Brunch on Saturday. 

  The Classes of 1980 and Later: Reunion-year photos will be taken in the JFK Auditorium during Saturday evening’s celebration. Class photos begin promptly at 7:00 p.m. with the Class of 1980. From there we will announce which class is up over the speaker system. All class photos will be made available online after Alumni Weekend.

• Sunday, July 27, 2025

  Mass in the Immaculate Conception Chapel, 10:00 a.m. 

  Ease into the end of Alumni Weekend with Mass in the chapel once last time before heading over to Torvian for Sunday brunch. 

• All Weekend

  ALL WEEKEND: OUR LADY OF LOURDES GROTTO TOURS Offered Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

  You have three opportunities to walk the gardens with Denis Corrigan ’78 and see all that the Grotto has to offer, including the Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine, the Pieta Shrine, the Nativity Scene, the Station of the Cross, the St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare Shrines, and the Saint Genesius Shrine. 

   

  ALL WEEKEND: WALKING TOURS OF CAMPUS

  Led by student tour guides, walk the campus and get the details on all the changes and latest innovations. Whether you come back to campus every year or this is the first time you’ve been back in many decades, you’ll be sure to learn something new about your alma mater from one of our current students. DAYS AND TIMES TO BE ANNOUNCED CLOSER TO ALUMNI WEEKEND.

   

  TKE 70TH ANNIVERSARY EVENTS 

  All weekend long TKE will be celebrating its 70th anniversary at SFU. All TKE brothers are invited to join in the following: 

  FRIDAY 

  • TKE Golf Outing: Brothers are encouraged to reserve tee times for noon directly with Immergrun Golf Club. This is not a formal tournament.
  • TKE Dinner, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., at Amici’s in Ebensburg. The cost of this event is $35. The Office of Alumni Engagement will email a separate registration for this event to all TKE brothers. Prompt registration is requested once you receive it. 

  SATURDAY 

  • Maurice Stokes Memorial, 10:00 a.m., SFU Cemetery. We will honor the brothers we lost this year and remember Maurice Stokes. 

   

Frequently Asked Questions

• WHY IS THERE ONLY ONE SET OF PRICING THIS YEAR?

  Due to issues with the University’s database migration, our IT team is unable to offer a registration that can process the usual dual pricing for Alumni Association members and non-members. Because of this, we are offering the standard membership pricing for all. While the discount for Alumni Weekend may not be there, we encourage all attendees to still join the Alumni Association while registering for Alumni Weekend as those dues support student scholarships, mentorship programming, and subsidized costs for regional alumni programming.

• HOW DO I GET A ROOM IN CHRISTIAN HALL?

  Christian Hall is always made available first to the 50th anniversary class, this year the Class of 1975. If you are of this class and wish to stay in Christian Hall, simply complete the Alumni Weekend 2025 registration form by Sunday, June 22..

   

  Afterwards, starting on Monday, June 23, at 9:00 a.m., the Classes of 1974 and earlier can request Christian Hall room reservations by calling 814-472-3015 or 814-472-3081.

   

  If there are still Christian Hall rooms available, the Classes of 1976 and later can call on Wednesday, June 25, at 9:00 a.m. If there are no rooms available by then, we will email an announcement saying as such.

   

  Christian Hall requires a two-night minimum stay, and the reservation must be paid in full at the time of reservation. Only one room per alumni family can be reserved. You may not make reservations for other alumni.

• CAN I GET A ROOM IN CHRISTIAN HALL IF I HAVE A HEALTH-RELATED ISSUE?

  We are not able to circumvent our standard process for Christian Hall for any special requests due to health-related issues. We always works with alumni to place them in the best available rooms for their needs—e.g. near a bathroom or on the first floor—but the number of special consideration requests for Christian Hall far outnumber the actual room count, and there is no fair way to tirage the numerous considerations. Should you require a room with air conditioning and fear you may not receive a room in Christian Hall, we recommend booking a room at nearby establishment instead.

• IF I CAN’T STAY IN CHRISTIAN HALL, WHERE WILL I STAY?

  Every year the Office of Alumni Engagement works with the Office of Residence Life to make sure dormitories are open and available to our returning alumni. The specific dorms rotate year to year based on summer construction projects, summer camps, summer student housing, etc. We will do our best to honor any specific dorm request you may have, but we cannot promise it will be that exact one.

• WHAT COMES WITH MY DORMITORY ROOM RESERVATION?

  Every room comes with two twin-size beds, sheets (twin flat sheets only), blankets and small towels. You may want to bring personal care items such as bathrobes, alarm clocks, slippers, hangers, shower shoes, and additional towels, blankets, and fitting sheets/bedding, depending on your preferences. You may also want to bring mattress pads, as the mattresses are very firm. 

  Christian Hall rooms come with private bathrooms. All other dormitory rooms use communal bathrooms. 

  Christian Hall is air-conditioned, but the other dormitories are not. As such, we suggest alumni consider bringing fans. Window air conditioning units are not allowed. 

  While many returning alumni enjoy reliving the dormitory experience, we understand that others do not. The Office of Alumni Engagement would be happy to recommend local establishments that may be more to the level of comfort that you seek.

• HOW DO I GET MY ROOM KEY?

  If you are staying at Christian Hall, first stop by Registration & Check-in at Raymond Hall. Afterwards, you will get your room key at the front desk in Christian Hall. 

  If you are staying in any other dormitory, you will receive your room key at Registration & Check-in at Raymond Hall. 

  All alumni are responsible for returning their keys, which we make easy to do via key return boxes located in all dormitories and in Torvian. If you do not return your key, you will be charged a $50 fee to cover the cost of replacing the lock and key for your room.

• CAN I TAKE FURNITURE FROM MY DORM TO THE OUTSIDE?

  You may not remove any furniture from any residence hall or any other building on campus. We strongly recommend bringing folding chairs and beach towels if you wish to gather outside. Many dorms have sitting areas immediately outside of the dorm or in the near vicinity.

• CAN I BRING MY PET?

  Pets of any kind are not permitted in any of the dormitories unless they are service animals, e.g. seeing eye dogs.

• I SEE THE TIMES LISTED FOR ALL EVENTS, BUT HOW DO I KNOW WHERE THEY’LL TAKE PLACE?

  We will release a final schedule the week of Alumni Weekend that will include all finalized event locations.

• WHAT IF I WANT TO GOLF DURING ALUMNI WEEKEND?

  Golfers should directly contact the Immergrun clubhouse by calling 814-471-9650 to schedule tee times and golf carts.

• HOW CAN I SEE WHO ELSE IS ATTENDING ALUMNI WEEKEND?

  The Alumni Weekend guest list for Alumni Weekend 2025 is not yet available. When registration opens in late May, the attendee list will be updated every day. Guests may opt out of appearing on the official attendee list, in which case their name will not appear.

• CAN I BRING MY CHILDREN TO ALUMNI WEEKEND?

  You are welcome to bring your children to Alumni Weekend, although discretion is advised for select events, e.g. the wine tasting. Due to liability concerns, the University does not offer babysitting services, although you are welcome to bring you own sitter for the weekend. We do not offer special children pricing for events—all events are adult pricing.

• IS THERE A DRESS CODE FOR ALUMNI WEEKEND?

  There is no dress code for Alumni Weekend, and alumni are encouraged to wear casual clothing that is comfortable for Loretto in July.

• CAN I SMOKE OR VAPE ON CAMPUS?

  All campus dormitories and buildings are smoke- and vape-free. No smoking or vaping is permitted in any campus building.

• IS THERE A REFUND POLICY IF I CANNOT MAKE IT?

  Cancellations will be accepted with full refunds until 4:00 p.m. on Monday, July 21.

• CAN I BRING OUTSIDE BEVERAGES TO CAMPUS?

  Alumni are permitted to bring outside beverages, including alcoholic ones, on to campus. While you cannot bring these outside drinks into official Alumni Weekend events, you are welcome to enjoy them elsewhere on campus. As we offer standard beer and wine throughout the weekend and no liquor, we recommend those who wish to drink something different to bring it with them to campus. 

  We recommend purchasing ice ahead of time just before you arrive on campus. Alumni are highly encouraged to bring water and sports drinks to stay hydrated during hot Loretto summer days. Many academic buildings and dormitories now feature water bottle filling stations.

• WHO DO I CONTACT IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ALUMNI WEEKEND?

  Please contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at sfu-alumni-office@francis.edu or at 814-472-3015.