Alumni return to Herstmonceux Castle
August 1, 2013
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By Craig Leroux, Senior Communications Officer
Alumni, faculty and staff of the Bader International Study Centre (BISC) at Herstmonceux Castle gathered recently for a weekend-long reunion in celebration of the centre’s 20th anniversary.
“The reunion weekend was everything I had hoped it would be,” says Laura Herdman (Artsci’11) who spent the spring term of her second year at the castle. “It was wonderful to reconnect with old classmates and professors, and there was something special about meeting new people and knowing that we were all connected by the passion we share for the castle.”
The reunion began with a warm welcome by Alan Harrison, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) and Bruce Stanley, BISC Executive Director. In addition to reconnecting with fellow alumni and making new friendships, the sun-filled weekend was packed with events both at the castle and in the surrounding countryside.
From archery and other English-themed sports, to a music performance by current and former faculty members, the weekend highlighted some of the many unique aspects of being at the castle. A grounds tour by retired gardener John Friend showed off the estate’s natural beauty, while the reunion weekend was capped off by the planting of an apple tree – a gift to alumni from the castle’s 2012-13 students – to commemorate the gift of the Castle by Alfred and Isabel Bader 20 years ago.
This article is one of a series of stories celebrating the Castle and its 20th anniversary.