All it took was someone to get things started, organize the gathering. That someone was Gerry Bourgeois ’71, who tracked people down, reached out to everyone and planned a fantastic UST May 2021 weekend reunion of ‘70s alumni in picturesque Fredericksburg, Texas. Of the 15 former students in attendance, two flew in from New York.

Hill Country Fun

There was plenty of hill country fun to be enjoyed. With options like dinner at a local brewery, golf at Boot Ranch, touring hill country wineries and an afternoon concert in Luckenbach, this bunch had a blast.

Skip Courtney ’73 admitted the venues were wonderful but said, “The settings didn’t matter so much as the comfort of seeing old friends, catching up on each other’s lives and recognizing that very quickly we were right back in school together and the years had slipped away.

Reminiscing

“The entire weekend was spent reminiscing.,” he continued. “We talked about old friends who weren’t with us or couldn’t join the weekend and reminded each other of crazy things that had gone on in each of our college experiences.”

Courtney said that everyone found themselves highlighting the outstanding liberal arts education at UST, the memorable professors they had and the unique experience of a small Catholic university.

UST Relationships: An Unbroken Thread

“I have always considered my experience at St. Thomas to be one of the crossroads in my life,” Courtney said. “The relationships that started there have been an unbroken thread. My education, and the life lessons that education included, provided the foundation for the rest of my life. It was amazing to realize that many of us over that weekend felt the same way.”

Alumni wrapped up the get-together by breaking bread at the tasty August E’s in downtown Fredericksburg and talking about a repeat performance. The group is already discussing how to expand their numbers and have the next outing in Galveston.

This Could Be Your Classmates from UST!

If you're interested in planning a reunion, contact Amy Youngblood, director of Alumni Relations, at alumni@stthom.edu. Virtual, in person or in your city!