The Class of 2001’s Reunion Weekend included all the expected traditions: catching up with old friends, sharing stories, and marching in the reunion parade. But this year, they added something new: giving back to the local community that helped shape their Lehigh experience.
The class dedicated its 25th reunion to supporting students at Broughal Middle School, raising around $3,000 for new fitness equipment. Located just below Lehigh’s campus, Broughal serves many students from families facing economic challenges — a reality that resonated deeply with class committee member Sabrina McGuigan ’01.
As a first-generation college student, McGuigan remembers her first days on campus and feeling like she didn’t quite belong.
“In a lot of ways, I can relate to the students at Broughal,” she says. “When I arrived at Lehigh, some students had their family’s names on buildings, but I was just a kid with ripped jeans and sparkly Doc Martens from a blue-collar family. My parents weren’t sure I would find my place, and honestly, I wasn’t sure either. But I did, and Lehigh made me feel like I deserved to be there.”
Through conversations with Broughal leaders and Lehigh’s Community Service Office, the Class of 2001 learned that the school’s fitness equipment was no longer functional.
They immediately stepped in.
“We found out we were the first class to do something like this,” says A.D. Slaton ’01. “I’ve built my career on mentorship, giving back, and leaning on my community. Volunteering at Broughal was a way to say, ‘We see you, and we support you’ to the people we share a community with.”
To raise awareness for the project, McGuigan turned to an old friend. She enlisted sorority sister Kate Schartel Novak ’04 M.Ed.’05, a member of the Lehigh University Alumni Association (LUAA) board and former pro cheerleader, to host a special Reunion Zumba class. Novak, joined by several fellow instructors, volunteered her time to lead the event and encourage alumni support.
“One of my first teaching jobs was at Broughal, where I taught seventh- and eighth-grade English and coached the cheer and step teams,” says Novak. “Returning there years later felt like a full-circle moment. It was special to support a school that launched my teaching career alongside a fellow Zumba instructor that attended Broughal, all just below the campus that helped shape who I am today.”
The fundraiser reflected the generosity and shared purpose that has long defined the Class of 2001.
“What made this meaningful wasn’t just the dollars we raised — it was the idea that our class could create a small but meaningful impact beyond campus,” says Andrea Vardaro Thomas ’01. “It reminded us that the Lehigh experience doesn’t end at graduation. It evolves into how we show up for others.”
More than two decades after graduation, members of the class committee remain close despite the miles between them. That bond was on full display during Reunion Weekend. During the reunion parade, McGuigan surprised Slaton by printing oversized photos of his face on shirts and signs for classmates to carry. The joke quickly became a hit, with everyone from classmates to President Helble posing for photos.
The playful tribute was fitting for a weekend that included a more formal recognition. Slaton received the Reunion Class Alumni Award, honoring his ongoing commitment to volunteering and supporting the institution.
“Our class has a very giving heart,” says McGuigan. “I was so proud of us for rallying together and raising money. I really hope we’re not the last class to do something like this. The Bethlehem community was there for us when we were young adults. Now, it’s our chance to be there for them.”
