Alumni Reunion

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CE Overview

Date: September 18-20, 2026
Time: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Come back to Berkeley for a special weekend of lifelong learning September 18–20, 2026. Reconnect with classmates, faculty, and friends while taking part in COPE-approved courses through our Fall CE and Golden Conference programming.

The weekend begins on Friday, September 18, with Alumni Grand Rounds from 6:00–8:00 PM PT, chaired by Dr. Chris Wilmer. Saturday morning will feature two CE sessions, including “Debunking Retina Myths” with Dr. Caesar Luo and “Stellest Lenses for Myopia Control: An Update” with Dr. Elise Harb.

Registration will open soon. Stay tuned for more information!

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PLEASE NOTE: Sunday, September 21 will only be offered ONLINE. Breakfast will be offered on Saturday September 20 from 7:15–7:45 AM. Lunch will not be provided.

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Reunion Celebration Details

Date: September 20, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Location: Minor Beach, UC Berkeley

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Pricing

Saturday Program: $110
Sunday Program: $110
Full Program: $220

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Registration

We are offering morning continuing education sessions on both Saturday and Sunday. We’re also pleased to offer a unique opportunity to attend CE in person at Room 489 – an experience that may bring back fond memories of your time as a student. With limited seating available for this exclusive offering, regular/standard CE rates will apply for the in person sessions.

Whether you join us in person at Minor Hall or attend online, don’t miss this chance to engage with faculty, enjoy time with fellow alums, and meet our new dean, Dr. Sharon Bentley!

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Who Can Attend?

All alumni of the Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science are invited – whether or not you’re participating in the CE program. Guests and children are also welcome to join the celebration.

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Special Highlights

This year marks Dean Sharon Bentley’s first alumni reunion weekend. We look forward to introducing her to the broader alumni community, as well as extending a true Opto Bear welcome her way!

We’ll also be celebrating milestone reunion years for the classes ending in ‘00 and ‘05. These groups will enjoy:

• Commemorative gifts
• Class photo opportunities
• Reserved gathering spaces during the celebration

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Picnic Schedule

12:00 PM: CE ends, Lunch on Minor Beach
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Recognition of Alumnus of the Year, Michael Harris Award Winner, Mert Flom Award Winner, and Class of 1975
1:30 PM – 4:00 PM: Class Photos, time with classmates, Tours of Minor Hall

Throughout the picnic:

• Music
• Picnic games
• Photo opportunities
• Tours of Minor Hall led by students
• “Walk Through Berkeley Optometry and Vision Science History” featuring class posters, historical information, and school highlights

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CE Program Overview

Dates: Saturday & Sunday, September 20–21, 2025
Time: Saturday 8 AM – 12 PM PST, Sunday 8 AM – 12 PM PST
Location: Hybrid (Attend in person at Minor Hall or virtually from anywhere)

We’re excited to offer CE in a hybrid format this year. Whether you’re returning to campus or joining remotely, you’ll receive the same high-quality, interactive content. While we love seeing our grads back on campus for our annual in-person CE offering, we hope this new approach allows us to reach more of you as you complete your CE requirements.

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Venues

CE: Minor Hall (in person) and online. Those attending the in-person CE will be accommodated in Room 489 in Minor Hall.

Reunion: Minor Beach, UC Berkeley campus.

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What’s Included?

• Lunch, Wine, Beer, and soft-drinks
• Music and entertainment
• Student-led campus and clinic tours
• Swag for all attendees
• Special gifts for milestone reunion alumni
• Class photo opportunities

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Campus Tours

Join us for student-led tours of Minor Hall, the Eye Clinic, and the surrounding campus.

Time: 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM, Saturday, September 20. A tour will depart from the reunion every 20 minutes, with a 10-person limit per tour.

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Parking & Transportation

While there are many on-campus parking options that allow for daily parking, we suggest the Law Lot as the most convenient option. Please reach out if you have accessibility needs and we will work to accommodate you for easy access to the event.

Click the links below to see the locations of each lot, campus parking map, and additional tips.

• Law Lot
• Underhill Lot
• Lower Hearst Lot
• Stadium Lot
• Campus Parking Map
• Visitor Parking Hours & Rates
• Visitor Parking Tips

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Please Note:

• There is a concert on the 20th of September which may cause a minor traffic jam. The artist is very popular so there may be car and foot traffic around 5 PM.
• You may pay for parking using an on-site ticket machine, or via the Pay By Phone parking app. Click here to learn more about the app.

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Attire & Weather

Dress comfortably and casually. September in Berkeley is beautiful, with average daytime temperatures between 65–75°F and cooler evenings.

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Wi-Fi Access

Campus-wide Wi-Fi is available. Use the CalVisitor network for easy, no-password access.

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Guest Policy

Guests, including children, are welcome at the reunion celebration. Please be sure to register all guests when signing up. For questions, please contact Taylor Reifert ([email email="tsreifert@berkeley.edu"]Taylor Reifert[/email]). We hope that the picnic style of the reunion will cater to an environment of fun for the entire family.

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