The big reunion happened today - fifteen of the alums who've been involved in the "DIY Religion" class joined us for a final celebration. Three came in person, another dozen online, which turned out to be just right for the capacity of the room. Students helped think of a fun way of celebrating the rewarding conversations they'd had with alums: pairs of current students alums, names pulled from two woolen hats, sat at the front of the room and chatted for three or four minutes about a prompt, also pulled from a hat (by the student from the pair before).
We each contributed a prompt at the start of the game (I took down some online alums' prompts from the zoom chat) which solicited all manner of interesting anecdotes and reflections. In the end some virtual alums had to leave so we only got through eleven, but it was plenty. (The three prompts which we didn't get to - at right above - may have been picked from the hat and returned!) It all made for a light-hearted and yet open-hearted sharing, smoothly bridging generations and timezones, with every one's voice heard.
And then, for those there in person, there were donuts from a place an alum had reminisced about. Real or virtual, all are keen to do it again!
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