University Liggett School welcomes alumni back to campus for Alumni Weekend 2024

University Liggett School welcomed back alumni, friends, and current and former faculty and staff to campus May 17-18 for 2024 Alumni Weekend events. Alumni in milestone reunions gathered at and around their alma mater to enjoy the two days with dear friends.

A variety of events marked the weekend. Activities and gatherings included:

• The weekend kicked off with Friday morning's in-person meeting of 5th-grade students and their Class of 1974 penpals. During the school year, these students and alumni exchanged old-fashioned letters. On Friday, they finally connected at a classroom meet-and-greet, and the students took the alumni on tours throughout the school. 
• Additionally on Friday morning, ULS’ 2024 Distinguished Alumna, Nona Yehia ‘89 spoke to our Upper School students at Community Time and then met privately with a small group of juniors who were interested in architecture, urban farming and inclusionary hiring practices. There were also ULS campus tours for alumni and “swag” shopping at The Logo Store. 
• Friday evening, the “Golden Knights” (alumni celebrating class reunions of 50 years and higher) gathered at Head of School Tom Sheppard’s home for a cocktail party. A group of about 50 alumni were there to reconnect and reminisce. 
• Saturday morning set the scene for Alumni Weekend’s seventh-annual Detroit bus tour. The four-hour guided walking and bus tour featured stops at Burns Avenue in Indian Village, an urban prairie, the riverfront, and Midtown. Throughout the tour, University Liggett School Faculty Emeritus David Backhurst gave history lessons about each area and how Detroit has evolved and changed  over time.
• On Saturday evening, there were class reunions for classes graduating from years ending in “4” and “9,” as well as the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Ceremony. ULS’s 2024 Distinguished Alumna is Nona Yehia ‘89, who co-founded Vertical Harvest and was in attendance for the honor. Yehia is bringing Vertical Harvest to Detroit. In partnership with Bedrock, the company will build a 60,000 sq. ft. facility in Detroit’s Milwaukee Junction. The facility is slated to open in 2025.