Alumni Profile: McKenzie Barber – COVID-19 Report
2020-03-30
Alumni Club Emergency Fundraiser
2020-03-30AYF Reunion and COVID-19 Update
Dear JYF and AYF Alumni,
Over the last weeks, as in all of Germany, Freiburg and Baden-Württemberg have seen a dramatic increase in the confirmed number of corona virus infections. Across the border, the southern Alsace region became an early hotspot in France. The first large wave of COVID-19 cases is expected to reach hospitals in the very near future. Whether the large-scale imposition of social distancing measures and the almost complete lockdown of public life will have the desired effect of “flattening the curve” to protect the population and preserve the ability of the health system to treat those affected most severely, remains to be seen.
We are monitoring developments closely and have not made a final decision yet about the July 2020 Reunion and Anniversary Celebration. As of today, the City of Freiburg has not issued an announcement about the central festival weekend of its 900-year anniversary. However, implementation of festival activities has shifted online. The focus is on fighting the pandemic, on strengthening the community, and on organizing mutual volunteer aid under the hashtag #freiburghältzusammen.
We cannot reliably predict the situation three and a half months from now, but this much we can say: If the City of Freiburg cancels or postpones the festival weekend, then we will follow suit and also cancel for the time being. We will reassess and, hopefully, be able to postpone the AYF Anniversary Celebration and Reunion for a later date.
Given everything that has already gone into planning the event and the wonderful buzz that had been building in our alumni community, we are of course deeply disappointed – and we imagine you must be disappointed as well. But we must all work together and prioritize without hesitation local and global health concerns in the fight against the spread of the new corona virus. Many program alumni are currently on the frontlines in hospitals, outpatient clinics, ambulances and other essential positions – such as grocery store staff making sure access to food and basics is maintained – and the personal reports that reach us are heartbreaking. We admire their bravery and dedication to serving their communities in the face of great adversity and personal risk. The impact on our Anniversary Celebration is an inconvenience in comparison. We can demonstrate our resilience by doing our part now – and reconvene another day to celebrate our JYF / AYF community!
In this spirit, we invite you to peruse below the program planned for July 2020. However, the actual registration process will not open until a decision can be responsibly reached in Freiburg. If you would like to receive future updates about the Anniversary Celebration and Reunion, you are cordially invited to register through the RSVP Interest Survey, if you haven’t already done so.
We wish you and your loved ones good health! May you safely get through the current crisis!
Until we meet (again), we remain yours truly,
Ulli Struve & the AYF Anniversary Planning and Organization Team
PREVIEW: AYF 60th Anniversary – Reunion 2020 Events and Registration Information!
Please note that Registration will not begin until the public health situation in Freiburg permits us to proceed!
If you would like to receive updates regarding the AYF Anniversary Celebration and Reunion, please provide your contact information through our RSVP Interest Survey page (https://www.ayf.uni-freiburg.de/alumni/visits/reunion-2020-survey/).
The Academic Year in Freiburg and the AYF Alumni & Friends e.V. (the German chapter of the AYF alumni club) are hosting a reunion from July 9-13, 2020 concurrently with the 900-year anniversary of the City of Freiburg. This page offers event information and details on the registration process.
Check-in will open at 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, in a central location in the University. At 3 p.m., all interested JYF and AYF alumni meet for a group photo shoot.
Unless otherwise noted, all reunion events will take place in the city center or very close to it. Detailed location information and meeting points will be provided in our confirmation email.
We have had very healthy interest from alumni so far. As of today, we are aware of six program years planning to get a group together from their year, and many alumni intend to join us individually, with family, or friends from their program year. The reunion program seeks to offer something for everyone, but we encourage you to pick and choose what appeals to you and otherwise re-experience the charms of Freiburg and the festival weekend at your leisure.
Larger parties may wish to make advance bookings for their own events and outings, particularly for joint meals. A list of restaurant suggestions, leads on wine tastings, pointers regarding accommodations, and other practical reunion-related information can be found in our Reunion 2020 FAQs.
When you are ready to register using the link at the end of this admittedly somewhat longish page, please register only your immediate party to avoid duplicate bookings.
We are very much looking forward to celebrating with you in just a few months!
Reunion Events
Thursday, July 9, 4 p.m. // AYF 60 Year Anniversary Celebration
Welcomes and Greetings:
- Freiburg University President Rektor Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Schiewer
- Mayor of the City of Freiburg Martin Horn (tbc)
- Prof. Dr. Peter McIsaac (AYF Academic Director)
- Nikki Davis (UW-Madison)
- Testimonials from JYF and AYF alumni
- Kim Mueller (President of AYF Alumni & Friends e.V.)
Music by the Black Forest Badgers, our AYF band comprised of program students, staff, alumni, and friends from the community.
Followed by a Welcome Reception.
Friday, July 10
Friday and Saturday are both filled with activities and performances on occasion of the City Anniversary, but for Friday, July 10, we have prepared our own program of guided tours and events especially for JYF and AYF alumni.
AYF Program Center, Open House, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Make sure to visit the new AYF program center to find out where current students make their home away from home.
Directions can be found on the AYF webpage.
Four different Guided Tours (in English) will be offered on Friday, each of them twice, once in the late morning and once in the afternoon. In case of overwhelming interest, we might be able to add additional groups of the “Freiburg Yesterday and Today” tour during the same time slots.
Freiburg Yesterday and Today
Brush up on your Freiburg history and explore recent developments alike.
(possibly two groups at the same time)
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Freiburg Yesterday and Today // maximum 50
2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m., Freiburg Yesterday and Today // maximum 50
Uniseum
Delve deep into the University’s history with a visit to Freiburg’s pioneering University Museum.
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., University Museum // maximum 25
3:00-4:30 p.m., University Museum // maximum 25
Ever wonder what happened in the old days to students and faculty who misbehaved, badly?
Find out with a visit to the “Karzer”, the former University Jail at the top of the University’s clock tower.
Please note: The elevator does not reach all the way to the top, and the tour involves scaling two floors of stairs.
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Karzer – University Jail // maximum 15
2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m., Karzer – University Jail // maximum 15
University Library
Opened in July 2015, the UB has been called “Death Star” by its detractor and “Black Diamond” by fans. Certainly, its design evokes strong reactions. Find out more during a tour that explores the architecture, function, and sustainable features the new UB!
11 a.m.-12:00 p.m., University Library // maximum 25
2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m., University Library // maximum 25
Friday Evening, Biergarten, 6:30 p.m. (open end)
Kastaniengarten-Wiedersehen!
Let’s close out the day with a casual gathering at Kastaniengarten behind Greiffenegg-Schlössle, the most beautiful Biergarten in town, overlooking the Swabian Gate and the Münster.
If you and your classmates wish to make other plans for the evening, visit favorite haunts, or just get together for a quiet dinner, reservations are strongly encouraged – especially for larger groups of alumni.
Saturday, July 11, 3 p.m.
Saturday is a day filled with many activities and performances on occasion of the City Anniversary.
Cheer on our AYF band, The Black Forest Badgers, and join their boisterous live performance at 3 p.m. on the festival mile as part of the Freiburg Sister City Fair.
Sunday, July 12
Hike along Schluchsee, from Seebrugg to Aha (ca. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.)
We invite you to join us for a moderate hike with hardly any elevation along beautiful Schluchsee.
Take in gorgeous views on the train ride into the Black Forest, then walk, hike or amble alongside Schluchsee. Stop for lunch or Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake) at Unterkrummenhof, a charming Black Forest farm restaurant with good local fare.
Depending on the number of interested alumni, we may offer several departure times and leisurely stretch this out over the course of the day.
Monday, July 13
Closing Reception, 11 a.m.
To round out your visit, the City of Freiburg invites current and former AYFers to a closing reception in an historic setting.
Symphony Concert, 7 p.m.
And for a big finale, let’s enjoy a symphony concert together on Monday evening!
AYF alumni are invited to a classical concert by the Suwon Symphony Orchestra from Freiburg’s Sister City in South Korea.
Up to 200 tickets available.
Accommodations and Public Transportation
If you are planning to join us on this special occasion, we strongly encourage you to begin looking for accommodations as soon as possible. The 900-year anniversary of the city of Freiburg will take place during the same weekend as our anniversary celebration. We chose this weekend because it is a rich opportunity for a return visit to Freiburg, but we anticipate that hotel accommodations will begin to fill up quickly.
Information on Accommodations and Public Transportation Options is available online on the AYF website in the Alumni Visits section.
AYF Logo Items: T-Shirts
AYF Alumni & Friends, the German chapter of the alumni club, is offering AYF logo T-Shirts for 20 € a piece. All proceeds go towards the alumni club scholarship fund.
Available ash-grey Fruit-of-the-Loom T-Shirts in the following sizes: S, M, L, XL, and XXL.
Pre-order with reunion 2020 registration and your T-Shirt(s) will be waiting for you at the check-in table at the opening reception on Thursday, July 9.
If you cannot join us for the reunion 2020 but would like to obtain AYF logo T-Shirts anyway, feel free to order them through this events registration page. Simply add 5 € for shipping and handling and we will gladly ship your order. Note shipment in comments section.
Please remit payment to AYF Alumni & Friends e.V.
Registration and Fee Information
Attendance at all events outlined above, including guided tours and the symphony concert, is free of charge. However, since capacities are limited in some venues, since reservations and locations may need to be adjusted based on alumni interest, a detailed pre-registration through a Registration Page is required.
As part of registration for this celebratory reunion weekend, we are kindly requesting a registration fee of 20 € per adult payable to AYF Alumni & Friends, the German Chapter of the AYF Alumni Club.
These funds help defray part of the organizational cost associated with the festivities. A possible surplus is earmarked for travel grants for current and future AYF students. By celebrating with us, you can ensure that their year with AYF will be as memorable as possible.
Registration Page Link
Please register only your immediate party to avoid duplicate bookings.
You will receive an automated reply and we will follow up with a detailed confirmation after reviewing your registration. This confirmation will also contain detailed location information for all events.
Register for events you wish to attend and/or order T-shirts at the following page:
https://www.ayf.uni-freiburg.de/events/ayf-anniversary-reunion-2020/
Password: XXXXX
Please note that Registration will not begin until the public health situation in Freiburg permits us to proceed planning the Anniversary Celebration and Reunion!
If you would like to receive updates regarding the AYF Anniversary Celebration and Reunion, please provide your contact information through our RSVP Interest Survey page.
Additional Contact information
Reunion Payments page of AYF Alumni & Friends, the German Chapter of the AYF Alumni Club.
Online form for newsletter signup and updating your contact information