Alumni Cheer on the Atlanta United during Alumni Day

Alumni came together on Saturday, August 26 for a memorable day as the Atlanta United defeated Nashville, 4 to 0, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“There’s nothing better than sharing our Petrel Pride while we cheer the home team on to victory,” said Interim President Dr. Kathryn McClymond. “It was great to connect with our alumni at the Atlanta United game!”

Dr. McClymond and her husband joined the Alumni Association for Alumni Day this year.

The day started with a pre-game tailgate at Wild Leap Brew Co. where attendees enjoyed catered barbeque, drinks, and fellowship in a private section of the brewery. Alumni from graduating class years ranging from 1979 to 2022 were present during the event. 

“The tailgate at Wild Leap was my favorite part of the day,” said Jennifer Beaver ’02. “It gave me an opportunity to have conversations with people that I don’t usually get to speak with, or haven’t spoken with previously, and I loved that people had their significant others with them. This was a chance to come together in a more relaxed setting. It was also a smaller event than something like alumni weekend, so you really got to connect with people.”

Following the tailgate, alumni took a short walk to the stadium and enjoyed the soccer match with reserved seating for Oglethorpe. “Tickets to games can be hard to come by, so that alone made this event appealing,” said Beaver. In this second Major League Soccer meeting of the season between the two regional rivals, the crowd roared with excitement.

During the match, there was a celebration of the 90s. The Atlanta United sported a new “404 Kit,” which was inspired by Atlanta’s cultural and global impact from the 90s until now. There was also a surprise halftime performance by Atlanta-based hip hop group Goodie Mob and music featuring some of the 90s greatest musical hits.

“We look forward to providing more experiences like this one in the future,” said Kathryn Henderson ’17, director of alumni engagement and giving. “Attending alumni events are some of the best ways to reconnect with fellow Petrels and expand your overall network.”

See all upcoming alumni events on our website.