1981 Reunion Page

Whether or not you ever took a history class, come find out about a bit of Bryn Mawr’s history.  Graduates of all classes are invited to browse the: 

Class of 1981 Time Capsule

Come to the class of 1981 hospitality suite in Denbigh Lounge to see what college life was like when tuition, room and board ranged from $6600 during freshman year to $8500 senior year.  Also, a postage stamp was 15 cents, a movie cost $2.00 and the average US home was $78,000.   

The capsule has a full four year collection of all the Bryn Mawr-Haverford News editions.  Headlines include:

• Wofford to Resign New Year
• Bryn Mawr to Eliminate Some Majors
• McPherson Ascends to Presidency
• Stevens Selected as Next President
• Haverford to Admit Freshman Women
• Fuel Costs Blast Budget
• Economics Over Enrolled Again
• College Reacts to Sexual Incident
  
  

 Other items include:

• 1979 and 1981 ACCORD Yearbooks
• 1981 and 1982 Freshman “Pig Books”
• Curriculum Guides
• “Antique” T-Shirts
• Flower Day Cards

While the class of 1981 was at Bryn Mawr, world events included the opening of the Alaska pipeline, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat addressing the Israeli Knesset, “Animal House” style food fights, cult mass suicide in Guyana, the Three Mile Island nuclear plant imploding, US embassy staff being held hostage in Iran for 444 days, the World Health Organization declaring smallpox eliminated and the introduction of the first personal computer.

Dear Class of 1981,
Reunion is only a few weeks away! Registration will close on Monday, May 11 – don’t delay and register today. While onsite registration will be available during Reunion weekend, on-campus housing cannot be added after May 11. Because many of us are transitioning into retirement, we have arranged a Saturday discussion just for our class with Dotty Brown. A former newspaper reporter, Dotty writes about the human side of retirement. Here is a sample of her writing. As an added bonus, she has a Bryn Mawr connection through her granddaughter who is a BMC undergraduate! Some of you have asked about getting together with our Haverford friends. The HC class of '81 will join us for dinner on Saturday. After dinner on Saturday night, we are invited to Haverford for an all-classes dance party.  

Debby Prigal will be bringing back her "time capsule" with all 4 years of the Bryn Mawr-Haverford News, our 1981 Accord Yearbook, curriculum guides, t-shirts and Flower Day cards, among other things.  Come see what things were like from our freshman year (when tuition and fees were $6600) to our senior year (then $8700).  We will set up the time capsule in our hospitality suite.  You are welcome to bring some of your mementos.

Now is the perfect time to make a meaningful donation on behalf of Reunion. At Reunion, we are recognized for our class participation, a metric that helps Bryn Mawr in many ways in its own fundraising efforts and is a key indicator of the confidence and pride alums have in the College today.  We are aiming for at least 87 donors to unlock a $30,000 challenge.  We are on our way to meeting that goal, but we are not there yet.  Check out our 1981 Class GiveCampus Page. 

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration. Please continue to check the Reunion website for information as you prepare for the weekend. Keep an eye on your email in the weeks leading up to Reunion for valuable information about arriving to campus, including the location of our class dorm and other class updates. We can’t wait to see you on campus next month for Reunion!  If you have any questions or comments, please email P Hamill at pmaryhamill@gmail.com or call/text at 215-421-2795.

Anassa Kata, Patricia (“P”) Hamill, President
Michelle Portnoff, Reunion Manager

Did you know that in the early 1900s, May Day began as a fundraiser for the College?

Grand May Day is a special moment when student leaders and the campus community add extra programming and celebratory flair to the already beloved tradition of May Day. 

May Day events take place across campus clubs as well as virtually. You can explore the full list of events here: https://engage.brynmawr.edu/page/all-events

In honor of this Grand May Day, we invite alumnae/i like you to support student life and the College by making a gift. By selecting the “Bryn Mawr Fund” and your class year, your contribution will count toward your reunion gift. (Scroll up to GIVE NOW button).

We are happy to announce that you can now register for Reunion 2026, taking place Friday, May 29 – Sunday, May 31.

Reunion offers many ways to connect with classmates. We recommend that you review the Reunion website for information such as the weekend schedule, pricing, cancellation policies and accommodations before you begin the registration process.

 >  Register Today

An early bird registration discount is available through Tuesday, April 7. Please use the discount code Early Bird in the payment section of registration.

We look forward to welcoming you back to Bryn Mawr in May. 

Sincerely, The Alumnae/i Relations and Development Team

Hello Everyone,

There were several technical difficulties with the link previously provided to our class survey. We apologize and have rectified the situation. Here is the new link.

With apologies, even if you already filled out the previous version please do it again on this form.

If possible, can everyone please fill it out before April 15? That will give us time to compile all the surveys and have responses ready for distribution at Reunion on May 29. If you can't attend Reunion this year an electronic version can be sent to you. We can't wait to hear about all of our classmates!

Dear Friends,

Reunion Weekend is just a couple of months away- Friday, May 29- Sunday, May 31! Registration will open in early April- keep an eye on your email and register early. 

Pricing information, a preliminary schedule, hotel blocks and the cancellation policy are on the college website. Be sure to check out the different Reunion packages available - there are options for those who can attend the entire event along with a la carte options for the weekend. 

As a reminder, the College will have Thursday on-campus housing available to support our long-distance travelers. Please note, space is limited, and registration will close in mid-April for this opportunity. On-campus housing is only available in advance of Reunion on a first come, first served basis; walk-in registration during the weekend will not include on campus housing. If you are interested in staying on campus, please register early!

While panels and other events are still being finalized, our class will be able to enjoy each other’s company in our hospitality suite, at class meals throughout the weekend, and socializing with our friends from Haverford. 

When we come together as a community, we have the greatest impact helping students go into the world to make lasting change. Did you know Reunion classes alone contribute about $1.5 million every year to The Bryn Mawr Fund? You may have heard that starting in fall 2026 the College is launching the Beacon Initiative which covers 100% of undergrad tuition for families earning $175,000 or less. Among other uses, The Bryn Mawr Fund will play a major role in this initiative. 

Finally, have you seen our 45th Reunion Class of 1981 Page?

Class of 1981 – 45th Reunion Challenge  Let’s gather our classmates and get excited for our 45th Reunion!

🎯 Our Goal: 87 Donors

$30,000 Challenge Gift

Three generous classmates have stepped forward with an extraordinary incentive:

If we reach 87 donors, they will unlock a $30,000 challenge gift.

That means every single gift counts — no matter the size.   

Join us and GIVE TODAY! 

We look forward to seeing you on campus in May!  

Warmly,   
Patricia Hamill, Class President 
Michelle Portnoff, Reunion Manager  
Gigi Chapman Phillips, Madge Rothenberg 1981 Gift Co-Chairs 

We would like to host a Class 1981 Zoom coming soon.
Please email Michelle at <mrportnoff@yahoo.com> to keep you on our list.