Reunions ’25

Samantha Koss ’95 has attended Reunions every year since Hamilton’s bicentennial in 2012, and by now, she has packing for the weekend down to a science. And her packing list isn’t the only thing that stays consistent.

“I have a crew of friends who we see every year at Reunions and every year at Fallcoming,” Koss said. “A lot of the reason I come back so often is because of them, because we all come back so regularly, and the fact that I just adore Hamilton.” 

Koss travels back to the Hill from her home in Darien, Connecticut at least twice a year, her car loaded with the essentials, including sheets and towels, a cooler Koss can plug into her car, homemade baked goods, and her espresso machine. If attendees are craving a sweet treat or a handcrafted latte, she’s got them covered.

Koss grew up in Utica, and while she was a first generation college student, her family had a special connection with Hamilton even before she attended — her parents got married in the Chapel. Her appreciation for the College continues to grow. 

“I loved Hamilton while I was there, but I think the importance of Hamilton has grown every year since I've graduated,” Koss said. “It’s everything from the friends that I've made to the faculty that I still see. And going back for Reunions is a joyous time to be on campus. I love reconnecting with all of the things that I love about it, and seeing how Hamilton has evolved as well.”

Koss fondly recalls living in the Keehn Co-op as a freshman and sophomore, preparing meals with hallmates who soon came to feel like family, and she cherishes the feeling of staying in that same room in Keehn every year at Reunions. She spoke of the nostalgia that washes over her every time she sets foot on the Hill and of the enthusiasm with which she’s witnessed the changes on campus over the years — everything from the construction of the Wellin Museum of Art to the inauguration of Hamilton’s 21st president, Steven Tepper.

“It’s a place that I love,” Koss said. “And especially since my husband didn't go there, over years and years, I've been able to see the College anew through his eyes. It’s walking the same paths — walking from Keehn, walking out on the fields. It's both remembering what it was like while I was there, coming back from pottery class or coming back from my Russian lit class, and each year — since I basically come back twice a year at least — building on memories of the past, and that they kind of just meld with the present.”