The Alumni Association poured their hearts into this year’s Valentine’s Day celebrations on campus. Many volunteers arrived as early as seven in the morning on Friday, February 13th, preparing their booths for the rush of students soon to come. Their tents offered an array of flowers, from light pink to a deep red, for students to take with them throughout their day.

Going back about 40 years, this tradition was very different yet equally prevalent; then, for a few years, it didn’t exist at all. The Alumni Association worked tirelessly to rebuild the program, which was so crucial in defining their time here at Bishop’s.

Lindsay Morgan (‘05), an alumni volunteer, loved the simplicity of the event. “It was one of my favorite traditions at the school. It was such a fun and easy way for everyone to come together and spread the love around campus.”

Denise Connelly (‘82), another alumnus volunteering at the event, described how the tradition used to work. She said, “[The event] was a fundraiser. We would buy the carnations, they were a dollar apiece, and write little notes to our friends. Then, in advisory, in the morning, they would call out your name if you had gotten any. You’d walk to the front of the room and get your carnation.”

Denise recalled one year in particular, in seventh grade, when her older sister got together with several of her friends to make her feel truly special. “It’s kind of an awkward year, and you’re not necessarily buying them for your friends yet, and maybe no one’s getting them,” she remembered. 

Morgan Bisbas (‘06) explained how, “it just made you feel nice and special that you were included. You could see your friends getting flowers and just having a great Valentine’s Day.” 

But as special as the tradition was for some, the system did have a few flaws that all three alums pointed out.

Denise explained, “The hard thing about it was that it felt more like a popularity contest. Some people would get ten [carnations], and some would get none.” This is why, when the Alumni Association brought back the tradition, they implemented a few changes.

This year, the Alumni Association set up a few tables around campus with a large number of flowers. They’d give flowers to every student within reach, offering as many as students wanted. Morgan noted, “We’ve really transformed it into an alumni event now, and everyone is included.”

Olympia Georgiou (‘30) loved how the event operated this year. “I think it’s really nice to have everyone get a carnation for Valentine’s Day, and it really promotes unity at Bishop’s,” she commented.

Students experiencing the tradition for the first time also thoroughly enjoyed the event. Josie Burke (‘29) said, “It reminds me of in kindergarten when everyone in your class would make Valentine’s and pass them out, and you’d get little gifts. I think it’s really sweet.”

Senior Director of Alumni Engagements and Community Events, Dr. Lori Boyle, took the lead in turning this event into a reality. She was constantly scrambling around campus, clearing up any potential kinks in the event, all the while with a smile and Valentine’s Day cheer.

For this year, Dr. Boyle was very intentional about every detail of the event to ensure that what she wanted would be accomplished. “The goal is simple: for every student and every employee to receive a carnation and spread joy throughout the campus,” she explained in an email to the entire school, intended to draw attention to the event.

When Ms. Morgan was passing out carnations, she reflected on the event as a whole, “It’s a simple reminder that once you leave the school, the love doesn’t go away.”