On the evening of September 4, a group of 43 members of the Class of 1986 and their guests arrived on campus at TASIS, trading warm hugs and lively conversations before even stepping through the main gate. As current High School students dressed up for their annual Lake Lugano boat dance, 40 years of institutional history briefly crossed paths. This touching intermingling of generations set a nostalgic tone as everyone made their way to the Palmer Center for Bill Eichner’s presentation. Alumni were delighted to reconnect with Howard Stickley and Bill Eichner. Bill treated the audience to a presentation featuring the incredible new film from Michele Josue ’97, “TASIS Through Time,” which takes viewers on a journey through 70 years of TASIS history. Gathering a room full of reuniting friends long enough for a group photo was a challenge, but the group managed to capture a wonderful blend of candid and posed shots outside the theater. From there, the campus tour kicked off in high spirits. After pausing on the Villa de Nobili terrace for photos on the lawn and stopping at the Casa Fleming garden for drinks and appetizers, an eager group insisted on keeping the tour moving. Howard and the Director of Alumni Relations led the group to Belvedere to check out a hidden gem—a room featuring its own private outdoor staircase. The final leg brought a few alumni back to Hadsall. Along the way, a late-arriving alum received a warm welcome right on the Collina d’Oro before joining the rest of the group back at Casa Fleming. The evening flew by in a happy buzz of catching up. Alumni flipped through '85 and '86 yearbooks, enjoyed a slideshow of throwback photos in the salon, and indulged in a delicious apéro, dinner, and dessert. Reunions always bring out classic student lore, but one revelation took the cake: during the Villa De Nobili tour, an alum confessed that he still has a sword from the armor room sitting in his attic. Confident he will return it to its rightful home eventually, the festivities carried on. Later in the evening, Class Agent Maggie Boyle took to the pool footbridge to welcome her class—successfully avoiding a splash, though a classmate wasn't quite as lucky and accidentally stepped into the pool at the end of the night. It was a true pleasure spending time with such a united class.
The Class of 1986 reunion continued with heartfelt remarks from attendees, reflecting on the enduring bonds formed at TASIS. Maggie Boyle ’86 shared, “We had such an amazing time in Lugano for our 40th reunion! Jeff and I went to Lugano earlier and celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary! It was magical being in the place where we first met. Lunch at Pizzeria Mary’s was first on the list! As others started arriving in Lugano, it was great to have many of us staying at the Hotel International au Lac. Adriane had an Airbnb with a rooftop terrace right in the center of town where many of us gathered. Thursday night about 12 of us met for dinner in the Piazza Riforma. Friday, Jeff, Brian, and I rented a small boat on the lake—it was so refreshing and beautiful! This got some of the others quite envious, so we did the same thing the next day! There were 18 of us who rented three boats for a couple of hours. Most of us jumped into the lake to swim. The weather and the water were the perfect temperature. We had a great time relaxing and laughing together. That evening, most of us met at Ristorante Cantinone in town for a great dinner together.” Bassem Jamour ’86 added, “Being a part of the TASIS family is a privilege granted to just a few of us. Learning about different languages and cultures from all the friends I met from around the world has made it a memorable experience that I will treasure for life.” Jeff Boyle ’86 reflected, “Once upon a time, a bunch of strangers got together and became lifelong friends.” Christopher Yoson ’86 simply stated, “Everyone is still wonderful.” The reunion also served as a reminder of the global alumni network, with upcoming events including the all-class reunion on Friday, November 20, at the Yale Club in New York, followed by 2027 all-class reunions in Los Angeles, Houston, and Istanbul. Alumni are encouraged to save the dates and plan to attend together with classmates. The recap was written by Director of Alumni Relations Michelle Arslanian Naroyan, and more photos are available online.
