After their normal closing time last Sunday afternoon, the Cranbrook Institute of Science opened their doors to Cranbrook Schools alumni and their guests, who who enjoyed exploring the exhibits, including "The Science of Archimedes," a planetarium show on the Michigan Sky and visits to the observatory. There was a record turnout for this annual event which was hosted by the Cranbrook Kingswood Alumni Association.

Click here to view photos of this event and other alumni gatherings.

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Milestone classes ending in 5 and 0 are beginning to buzz about their upcoming milestone reunions coming up this June 6-7-8, and that includes the class of 1945! Kingswood classmates Gretchen Markle Thams and Marjorie Smith Hendrick, both from the class of '45 got together to talk about their upcoming 80th reunion. At their reunion meeting they reminisced about classmates and their Kingswood days together, and made plans to show off campus to family members that weekend.

On Thursday, March 6, alumni who live or work in the San Francisco area will have the opportunity to gather at the Exploratorium. The evening will feature a behind the scenes tour hosted by alumna Amy Snyder '80, who is the Exploratorium Director of Photography. The tour will take place from 6:00-7:00 p.m. followed by a reception at the After Dark Lounge on the Moore East Gallery Mezzanine from 7:00-9:00 p.m. It will be an exciting evening with the opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni living in the Northern California area, as well as Cranbrook Schools leadership.

Thursday, March 6 | 6:00-9:00 p.m.
6:00-7:00 p.m. (Tour)
7:00-9:00 p.m. (Reception)
Exploratorium
Pier 15 Embarcadero at, Green St, San Francisco, CA 94111

Register for this event by emailing alumni@cranbrook.edu and let us know if you plan to join us for the tour, the reception, or both! Space is limited.

On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, more than 85 alumni from four Detroit-area Independent Schools including Cranbrook, University Liggett School, Roeper, and Detroit Country Day School attended the second annual Detroit Independent Schools Joint Alumni networking event at TechTown Detroit.

The Cranbrook Kingswood Alumni Association (CKAA) were sponsors of this career networking event, which was was geared toward alumni either within or transitioning to the tech industry. Representing Cranbrook Schools, alumni speakers included Ian Perkins ’05 (moderator) and Phyllip Hall ’84 (panelist). Each school represented featured a panelist.

Ian Perkins led the group in a thoughtful panel discussion that spoke to their varied careers in tech and touched on industry trends, ethical concerns and the rise and emergence of technology-based companies in the Metro Detroit area.

After the panel discussion concluded, alumni guests from the four schools stayed to mix, mingle and network with each other. It was a wonderful, collaborative evening, and alumni can expect to see more events like this planned in the future with a focus on other industries.

Visit the alumni gallery for photos and video from this event and other alumni gatherings


Go to the main Alumni News page 

Dr. Barbara Bowen Oberg ‘60, renowned early American historian, editor, and scholar died at Connecticut Hospice in Branford on September 14, 2024.

Blue Note recording artist and Cranbrook and HUB alum, Dave McMurray '73 will be performing at Kingswood Auditorium February 7 with composer/pianist/singer Alvin Waddles, and Gospel vocalist, Rosa Warner-Jones. The artists will present a tribute to music legends Fats Waller, John Coltrane and Mahalia Jackson.   During the day the trio will also be presenting special performances for students from Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School, Cranbrook Kingswood Boys/Girls Middle School, and Horizons-Upward Bound. There are a limited number of tickets still available for the event, which is hosted by Cranbrook Schools along with its performing arts parent volunteer board BRAVO. See below for registration information.

In anticipation of the event, FocusCK caught up with the celebrated saxophonist

On January 29th the Kingswood auditorium and dining hall were a hive of activity as 70 career mentors and nearly 200 juniors and seniors came together. The event, which has been held in this format since 2014, is sponsored by the Cranbrook Kingswood Alumni Association, and involves outreach to local alumni and friends who serve as mentors in an evening of one-on-one conversations about educational paths, career choices and more.

On Tuesday, February 25, the Cranbrook Kingswood Alumni Association (CKAA) is hosting a Tech Industry Career Mentoring & Networking Event from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at TechTown Detroit. The event will begin with a panel featuring local industry experts, followed by a networking session for professionals from all levels of experience.

Interview with Cranbrook Educational Community trustee Bob Wilson '76. Bob is a multi-generational alumnus who, along with his wife and fellow CEC trustee Sandy Smith, has served the community in a multitude of ways over the years. In addition to his role as a CEC Trustee, Wilson is a Cranbrook Art Academy governor and a member of Cranbrook's Center for Collections and Research Committee.