Although there have been many changes at Peirce throughout
our 150-year history, one constant has been a group of loyal, active alumni who
have represented the benefits of a Peirce education in their workplaces and
communities. And among the many facets of our history we'll be
celebrating this anniversary year, few have had a longer tradition - one
which continues into the present day - as does the school's Alumni Association,
which has been in place for the last 123 years.
June 15, 1892 marked the first formal meeting of the Alumni
Association. As the history book Peirce Means Business describes
the group's genesis, "the formation of the Association was the work of
seven graduates...(who were) all current Peirce faculty members." Their
number included Ruth Peirce, a member of the Class of 1892 and the daughter of
our founder Thomas May Peirce. The initial objective for the
Association, stated in the minutes of that evening, is one that carries forth
to this day: "to promote social intercourse among the graduates...and to
aid the faculty in further popularizing our Alma Mater."
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Original minutes from the first Alumni Association meeting
(Click to enlarge) |
By the time of their next annual meeting in June 1893 the
Association sponsored a banquet for alumni (complete with a six piece
orchestra), revised the Association bylaws, and grew their membership to 345
individuals, including graduates from Texas, California, Oregon and
Maine. There was even a love match among their numbers: the minutes
of the Annual Meeting notes the "marriage of Miss Lizzie P. Chew, Class of
'90, Member of the Board of Managers, to Mr. Charles W. Schoener also of the
Class of '90."
The current Alumni Association continues in the tradition of
that first group of graduates. They bring together men and women who,
bonded by their Peirce education, connect with one another and the school to
the mutual benefit of all. To learn more about the work of the current day
Association and become an active partner in connecting our graduates with the
College, visit our webpage and
join our Facebook and LinkedIn groups.