A beer tasting tour featuring local craft brews, four timeless venues, perfectly paired gourmet appetizers, alumni and friends. An exclusive Alumni Weekend experience that the Affiliated and Federated Institutions of Waterloo (also known as the university colleges) are uniquely positioned to offer, was on tap June 2, 2023.

St Jerome's alumni group shotAlumni and friends from St. Jerome's attending Beer & Bites 2023. 

Conrad Grebel alumni group shotAlumni and friends from Conrad Grebel attending Beer & Bites 2023. 

Life-long connections were celebrated and re-established, and new friendships were made, as alumni spanning the decades of university college history came together for the inaugural Across the Creek Beer & Bites signature Alumni Weekend event.  

University colleges specialize in fostering rich social connection. The sense of community created amongst students so often transitions into tight-knit groups of alumni who maintain their connections through the decades.   

 United College alumni group shotAlumni and friends from United College attending Beer & Bites 2023.

A group of Renison alumni poses on the bridgeAlumni and friends from Renison attending Beer & Bites 2023.

Guests included former first-year roommates who remain friends to this day. An alumnus mother and daughter. Floormates from 2013. Partners who met as first-year students in residence. A former Don who lived at United College for five years. A current resident completing his third University of Waterloo degree. Three former members of an Environment Living Learning Community.      

Brand-new venues were explored, and old stomping grounds revisited, as alumni and friends toured Conrad Grebel, United College, Renison and St. Jerome’s. Alumni enjoyed pointing out changes on their home campus since last visits many years ago.

“This door wasn’t here!”

“What is that!”

“Where did this building come from?”    

While the campuses themselves have changed dramatically over the years, the sense of community and social connection that the university colleges foster remains to this day, creating memorable experiences for everyone who passes through their doors.