The class of 1971 eagerly celebrated their 50th class reunion during a luncheon at the Palmetto Club in Columbia, SC. Alumni traveled near and far (SC, NC, FL, VA, NY, CA) to reunite and commemorate their time at the College of Nursing.  

The reunion initially started as a small gathering with a few lifelong friends but quickly became an organized class reunion as more classmates heard about the get-together. Gail Sturtevant, a retired Executive Director of Nursing for Wake Med Cary Hospital, organized the reunion with assistance from her classmate, Libby Honeycutt Getz. The women eagerly reached out to the class of '71 to invite them to celebrate the accomplishment of their class and enjoy fellowship. “We had a wonderful time reconnecting, a lot of laughter, and sharing memories,” says Sturtevant. She spoke about how nursing school forms lifelong bonds and friendships.  

Even if you haven't seen a classmate in years, you immediately pick right back up over shared memories and experiences.  - Gail Sturtevant

The class spent the luncheon reminiscing and laughing about the fear of starting fundamentals, the uniforms and nursing caps they wore, and favorite faculty. The group is already working on a reunion for 2022 and hopes to have even larger participation.