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Class Note Examples

The Alumni Relations staff at Mercyhurst University have published the following guidelines for writing an effective class note. Class notes are generally reserved for major life events that might be of interest to fellow alumni. Relevant events include:

  • Engagements and marriages
  • Births and adoptions
  • Professional accomplishments
  • Educational accomplishments
  • Deaths of close family members

Class notes should be written in the third person and should reference the name of the alumnus in the first sentence. When referencing the alumnus, be sure to include the class year and maiden name, if applicable.

Mercyhurst University reserves the right to edit or remove any class note at its discretion.

Exemplary Class Notes

For Marriages

  • Simple Example: "John Smith '03 and Jane Doe '05 were married in Cleveland, OH on September 4, 2008."
  • Including Alumni in the Wedding Party: "Becky Dodge '03 married Matt Smith on June 27, 2009 at St. Mary Church in Painesville, Ohio. They spent their honeymoon in Riviera Maya. Becky is a registered nurse at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, and Matt is a staff accountant. Anna Signs Lindahl 03, Katie Kimple Bennett '03, and Lauren Shadle Eckel '03 were all bridesmaids. Matt and Becky currently reside in Parma Heights, Ohio."
  • Referencing Christ the King Chapel: "Diana Rapacki '03 married Matthew Konieczki '97 on Aug. 29, 2009, in Christ the King Chapel at Mercyhurst College. They spent the first three days of their honeymoon at a Dave Matthews Band concert in the gorge and the rest of the honeymoon was spent in Riviera Maya. Diana is a teacher at Rice Avenue Middle School in Girard, PA, and Matt is a project estimator at Builders Hardware in Erie, PA. Members of the wedding party included Nicole Rapacki '08, maid of honor, and Brian Dewey '00, groomsman."

For Births

  • Simple Example: "Maureen Grady LaMar '02 and her husband, Jarrod, welcomed a daughter, Allessandra Josephine, on April 6, 2009 in Roseville, CA."
  • Including Vital Statistics: "Laura Rhea Wilkowski '02 and proud daddy, Stephen, greeted Margaret Amy Ann Wilkowski ("Baby Maggie") on August 7, 2009, at 12:33 pm. Margaret weighed 10 lbs, 9 oz. and was 21" long. Her head is almost 15" around. Big brothers Michael and Samuel are thrilled."

For Professional Accomplishments

  • Internship: "Breanna Haggerty '09 is interning at the Washington National Opera as a graphic designer."
  • Promotion or Job Change: "William Hall '83 has accepted the position of an assistant superintendent in the Millcreek School District. He will be relocating from Oil City. William has been married to his wife, Jane, for 25 years and has four children."
  • Award or Recognition: "William Chiodo '73 was recognized with the Gold Key Award for Excellence on June 3, 2009, by The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers in New York. This recognition celebrates regional affiliates of the prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing Awards who served their communities with an enduring commitment to the highest standards of leadership and administration. Mr. Chiodo is executive director, professional development, for Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Miami, Florida. Miami-Dade County Public Schools is the fourth largest school system in the United States."
  • Notable Achievement: "Gary Michael Smith '88 was invited to perform at the White House in Washington, DC, Tuesday, July 21, 2009, for a "Country At The White House" workshop, an event in which students from across the nation learned about songwriting and about country music history, with Michelle Obama in attendance. During the workshop, Lockeland Design student Sal La Rosa, a fourth-grader, performed "The Girl In The Hallway" - a song he wrote with songsmith Gary Michael Smith as part of the Country Music Hall of Fame's Words & Music program."

For Educational Accomplishments

  • Postgraduate Degree: "Mary E. Helt Lenda '01 graduated this August from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a doctor of education degree in educational leadership. She earned her bachelor's degree in education from Pennsylvania State University and her master's degree in special educational from Mercyhurst and a master's degree from Elmira College in elementary education with a minor in special education. She is a special education teacher in western New York. Mary lives in Mayville, NY with her husband, John."
  • Fellowship or Notable Scholarship: "William Meyer '98, a doctoral candidate in anthropology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, has been granted a Fulbright Fellowship for the 2009-2010 academic year. Mr. Meyer will use this fellowship to conduct dissertation research concerning late Bronze and early Iron Age burial mounds in southern Burgundy (France). Beginning in May 2010, Meyer's research will also be supported by a grant from the Georges Lurcy Charitable & Educational Trust."