Class of 1963 Scholarship Lunch
The Class of 1963 Scholarship lunch was held at the UCSB Club and Guest House on Friday, April 26, 2019.
Participants included left to right: Steve ‘63 and Barbara Mendell, Sarah Kinane ‘20, Larry ‘63 and Phyllis DeSpain, Marie Sue (Frenchick ‘63) Parsons, John Lofthus ‘00, ‘10, Toni (Haycock ‘63) Morgan.
The Class of 1963 has now raised over $70,000 in gifts and pledges for their scholarship fund and have awarded $18,500 in scholarships since the fund’s inception in 2013.
The Class of ‘69 Reflects and Reconnects
Members of the UC Santa Barbara Class of 1969 came back to campus for their 50th reunion during All Gaucho Reunion 2019. The weekend included a luncheon and panel discussion for 1969 members to celebrate, reminisce, and reconnect. Former Associated Student (AS) president and reunion committee co-chair Paul Sweet was in attendance along with 100 attendees from the class as they gathered on the patio of The Club & Guest House.
The Class of 1969 were in college at an especially significant time. The economy was prosperous, student tuition incredibly lower, and popular music of the time included the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. However, not everything was sweet and dandy as tensions in race, environment, and war began to boil on campus and around the world. The Class of 1969 were called to action as protesting, marches, and sit- ins became popular sites on campus. Consequently, the Black Studies department was founded as well as the Chicano and Chicana studies department, and Asian American studies department.
Issues like the Vietnam War and the Santa Barbara Oil Spill sparked movement on campus. Demonstrations of various types were carried out to cast a light on injustices. Activists sent bottles of spilled oil to lawmakers and participated in community-wide beach cleanups. In response, the California Coastal Commission, the California Environmental Quality Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act were established which later led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. Earth Day was then officially marked on calendars for the first time and UC Santa Barbara began an Environmental Studies major. This was all thanks to the people power of the Class of 1969.
Although the Class of 1969 may have looked like monolith in their activism, there was always a variety of viewpoints, criticisms, priorities and strategies. During the panel, the forum agreed the challenge for today’s students is being able to connect outside of the bubble or echo chamber and direct that energy to generate real solutions. That reach, and listening to others with empathy, will be a major part of the activism of modern times, according to the panel.
To continue their efforts to make the world a better place, the Class of ‘69 has created their 50th Reunion Scholarship Fund. The Scholarship is to support current student leaders at UCSB who are making a difference on campus or in the community. With a goal of $50,000, the Class is eager to match the first $20,000 donated to the fund.
This is a condensed version of an article by Sonia Fernandez, “Pretty Lucky Baby Boomers,” which originally appeared in UC Santa Barbara’s The Current.
Family Vacation Center Celebrates 50 Years
Left: The undefeated FVC staff Softball team poses for another victory photo. left to right: John Lofthus ‘00,’10, Austen Lofthus ‘33, Greg Patton ‘77, Corey Heimlich ‘99, Dan Shanahan ‘87. Andrew Jacobs, Christa Patton ‘84, Rebecca Sylvers, Greg Matza, Chris Lawrence ‘96. Front kneeling: Jeff Jackings ‘02, Lauren Stevens ‘15, Matt Meredith. Photo: Gianna Ross ‘20.
In 1969, Dale Lauderdale ‘61 created the Alumni Vacation Center beginning with only 9 staffers.
Fifty years later, it is now called the Family Vacation Center and it hosts more than 2,000 guests all summer with a staff of 60 college-aged students.
From June 21-23, 2019, to celebrate, about 110 former staff members gathered for a weekend of reminiscing, singing songs, and naturally, a staff softball game. According to former FVC Director, John Lofthus, the staff team, which plays the vacationers weekly each summer, has never lost a game in its fifty year history. Staff members came from as close as Santa Barbara, to as far as South Africa. The reunion weekend included a viewing of the FVC Welcome and Farewell Show, a campus tour of UCSB, a reunion dinner party, and a farewell brunch.
The founder of FVC, Dale Lauderdale, was honored to recognize all of his dedication to the Family Vacation center over the years. In fact, eight former FVC Directors were in attendance during the weekend.
John Lofthus ‘00, ‘10 presents Dale Lauderdale ‘61 with the Graver Service Award.
One staff alumna, Layla Brisco, claims she has not missed a single year at camp her entire life. Brisco was not the only person who could claim this, as many staffers started coming to camp as children and continued as staff members when they reached college age.
A common theme during the weekend was how much the FVC has affected the lives of its staffers. Many of the staffers went on to accomplish great things in life and had FVC to thank for either life skills or connections they developed. As a result, an FVC student scholarship was announced during the weekend to help current and future FVC staff members.
At the end of the weekend, it was clear—the Family Vacation Center has had monumental impacts on not only its guests but also on its remarkable staff members.
Left to Right: Emily Proctor ‘12, Paulina Tran ‘12, Sandi (Worley) Quinly ‘03, Taleen Askejian ‘09. Photo: Gianna Ross ‘20.