Celebrating 150 Years of OAC and the Enduring Legacy of the Class of '64
May is an exciting month for the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) as it celebrates 150 years since opening its doors in 1864. Upholding a tradition they have kept every five years since graduating from U of G 60 years ago, the Class of '64 will be back in full force at Alumni Reunion Weekend this June to reunite. '64 Aggies, Dennis and Pat Mighton (both B.Sc.(Agr.) '64) enjoy getting together with their fellow Aggie classmates at Alumni Reunion Weekend to share career and life adventures. This year, they are especially excited to celebrate OAC's 150th anniversary at the special OAC celebration dinner on Johnston Green. It promises to be a fantastic show of Aggie Spirit. The OAC couple advise their fellow alumni,
"Bring your friends, bring your camera, bring your enthusiasm and be prepared to have an awesome time!"
No one celebrates quite like the Class of '64. For their 50th reunion in 2014, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the University of Guelph's establishment, the class raised $200,000 to endow a $5,000 graduate scholarship. The legacy of OAC '64 lives on, as the class has supported several on-campus projects over the years.
OAC Class of '64. September 1960 (Frosh Week)
U of G has always been special to Dennis and Pat. Their first date was on campus, in the basement of the Massey Library, then a coffee shop known as "The Lounge." The Mightons share a significant milestone with the Class of '64, as this upcoming August will mark their 60th wedding anniversary. After rewarding careers in agriculture, Dennis and Pat are both retired, traveling, volunteering, and spending time with their two grandchildren, one of whom is a second-year U of G student.
The Mightons are no strangers to U of G and have found many ways to stay connected to their alma mater. Pat had the honor of serving as both President of the OAC Alumni Association and Chair of the OAC Alumni Foundation. The couple's strong ties to the college have fostered lifelong friendships with their OAC classmates. They have celebrated every New Year's Eve since graduation with the same group of Aggie friends!
Pat recalls her time at Bursar Hall, the tiny residence between Creelman Hall and Johnston Hall, where she lived in her second and fourth year with a close-knit group of women from the Aggie and Vet programs as one of her fondest memories. For Dennis, it's hard to pick just one favourite U of G memory, from the antics of residence life in his first and fourth year to the infamous Creelman Hall food fight - there's much for the class to reminisce about at their June reunion.
When asked what being a Guelph Grad means to them, the couple shared,
"As the last class to receive our degrees from the University of Toronto, we are proud Aggies and delighted to see that the Aggie Spirit still prevails among today's University of Guelph Aggies."
We are excited to welcome back OAC '64 to U of G this June for this special college milestone. The class as a whole truly embodies the saying that, you are students for a short time, alumni for life.
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