All across the university lawn, amidst the rows of white tents and a lively crowd, CSUN hosted the Grand Reunion, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the campus.

The event allowed past students to reconnect with former professors and classmates and held a lot of surprises for those who attended. Just as the CSUN administration planned it to be, the Grand Reunion was a great homecoming for the proud Matadors who attended CSUN over the years.

In addition to all the planning and promotion leading up to the event, the day-long festivities were incredible. From the live band playing, to the delicious meals being served, there was something for everyone. Alumni were able to revisit their old stomping grounds and show their children where they used to study hard and party harder. But the real meat of the event was the ability for these former students to reconnect.

When I attended the celebration of CSUN’s 50th anniversary I met some interesting people, notably an alumnus from the engineering honor society, Tau Beta Pi. Richard Bliss, or ‘Rich’ as his name tag read, was socializing with the younger members of his organization when I approached him. He introduced me to his spouse and his two children. Richard and his wife Dana Bliss, a former member of another CSUN organization, Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, had recently paid a visit to the university for another event celebrating past organizations. It was at that event where they heard of the Grand Reunion.

The two spoke openly about how they became a couple after meeting at CSUN and then later married after college. The Blisses met each other in 1981, have been together for the past 28 years and have been married for 23. They decided to spend their Saturday afternoon at the Grand Reunion celebrating a chapter of their lives. It’s a real Cal State Northridge love story.’