For the last 14 years, Marcus Solis has been a reporter at WABC Eyewitness News in New York City. Solis graduated from Syracuse University in 1991 and will be returning to campus to attend the Coming Back Together reunion for the third time.

‘Being on campus gives us a first-hand look at how SU is serving its current minority students and allows those students a chance to interact and learn from those who have gone before them,’ Solis said. ‘A strong turnout also shows the administration that the African-American and Latino population is an important, involved part of the SU community even after graduation.’

SU’s African-American and Latino alumni will be returning to campus Thursday to attend the 10th anniversary CBT Reunion. The reunion, themed ‘Celebrating the Past and Shaping the Future,’ will take place from Thursday, Sept. 22, to Sunday, Sept. 25, and will include a variety of scheduled events, workshops and seminars.

Coming Back Together has occurred every three years since 1983. This event provides an opportunity for African-American and Latino alumni to witness the transformations their alma mater has gone through, share their knowledge and experience with current students and reminisce on old times. The Program Development Office has been working hard to provide a structured and enjoyable weekend.

Larry Martin, the associate vice president of program development at SU, has been working around the clock to help make this event just as special as previous years. Martin strives to carry on the good works of his predecessor Robert Hill, who started the CBT reunion as a way to help the African-American and Latino alumni feel appreciated and more comfortable returning to campus. Hill’s plan is a proven success, as more than 300 alumni are returning this weekend to enjoy the 10th CBT reunion.

‘This reunion is special since it’s the 10th, but all of the reunions have been special and unique,’ Martin said. ‘They are full of energy, they are full of excitement, there is a real connection, and it’s a very powerful experience when you see so many talented African-American and Latino alumni return to this campus.’

The four-day weekend is packed with exciting activities as varied as seminars and cultural exhibits to an SU football game and a gala dinner. There will also be a variety of seminars and panel discussions covering questions on the effects of the economy, the new world of entertainment, social media and issues personally affecting the African-American and Latino communities. The panelists will include Dave Bing, mayor of Detroit; Angela Robinson, broadcast journalist for ARC Media; Shanti Das, co-chair for the CBT reunion; and Solis.

Das graduated in 1993 from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and majored in television, radio and film. Das was a former executive vice president of marketing at Universal Motown Records but left in 2009 to start her company PressReset.me. Being an entrepreneur has also given Das time to write two books, ‘The Hip-Hop Professional: A Woman’s Guide to Climbing the Ladder of Success in the Entertainment Business’ and ‘The 1-2-3’s of Networking,’ which was released Tuesday. Das attributes her success to connections and previous mentors, and she hopes to give back to the students this weekend.

‘For me, personally, I always enjoy coming back to support the university,’ Das said. ‘Syracuse did so much for me while I was a student, and I think it’s only the right thing to do to give back to the students that are currently enrolled in the university.’

One of those students is Kalila Nelson, a senior sociology major. She is no stranger to the CBT reunion, as she attended her freshman year. However, returning as a senior, Nelson hopes to walk away with just as good an experience as her first time around.

‘I hope to continue building connections,’ Nelson said. ‘As a freshman attending the chancellor’s reception, I met an attorney who I’m still close to today, so I hope to meet more people and just build relationships.’

The CBT reunion is a time for alumni, students and faculty to come together and take advantage of this wonderful experience. Although this reunion focuses on the African-American and Latino Alumni, Martin makes it very clear that this opportunity is for everyone to enjoy.

‘The reunion is open to all,’ Martin said. ‘Anybody can come to the workshops, anybody can come to the Fiesta Latina, anybody can come to the different events that we have and all can benefit.’

skbrowne@syr.edu

 

Published on September 21, 2011 at 12:00 pm