Wheaton News

The Whims took a sentimental journey on campus this fall. Alumni of the a cappella group, along with the current members, gathered to mark the Whims 75th anniversary in early October with a weekend reunion that culminated with a concert in Weber Theatre. The recorded event is available on YouTube.

“Tonight is to honor and celebrate the amazing 75 years of tradition, legacy of song, and most importantly, family,” said Emily Mitchell ’94 at the start of the concert. “Seventy-five Whims are here for our 75th anniversary. Being in the Whims, for many of us, was the heart of our Wheaton experience. Our relationships as members of this group have meant more than words can possibly express.”

“When we got together for the anniversary, I felt like no time had passed,” Mitchell said later. “During my era, we practiced a lot, five nights a week at a minimum. So, the members of the group from a particular time know you better than anyone.”

The anniversary celebration brought together Whims from many different eras, Jennifer Morris ’90 said. “We were thrilled to have Whims from the classes of 1970 through 2028 at the 75th anniversary. … So many Whims posted messages, shared memories and sent in photos for a Whims slideshow on Friday night, which Renée Torrière ’84 whittled down to 240 slides.”

Mitchell, Morris and Torrière served as reunion organizers along with Leah Finkelstein ’97, Melissa Hutchins ’02, Judy Morrison ’78, Sara Sharpless ’93 and Kate Todd ’92. They tackled everything from identifying and contacting former Whims to event planning and selecting songs for the concert that represented each of the decades of the participating alums.

And of course, everyone had to learn some new material. “Leah Finkelstein did an amazing job organizing an online site where we could listen to the songs we were going to sing as a group, plus each of the individual voice parts over those songs,” Morris said.

Prior to the concert, the entire group gathered in Cole Memorial Chapel for a final rehearsal that featured a surprise: Judy Morrison ’78 played her flute onstage, a reflection of the times when the group often included instruments during her era.

“We were all entranced by Judy’s performance and gave a standing ovation when she finished the song,” Morris said. “That was one of the most amazing things to see from such a large group of Whims that had mostly never even met before this weekend: we immediately rooted for each other, and already felt like old friends.”

The group’s current pitch pipe Savannah Ruginski ’26 said the weekend was filled with powerful moments. “Throughout the weekend, many of us current Whims felt overwhelmed by the sheer passion and love the alumni exuded,” she said. “Experiencing this reminded us to cherish the time we have in the group.”

The anniversary concert opened with a short set from the current members, who highlighted parts of their current repertoire, including Kate Bush’s recently rediscovered 1985 hit “Running Up That Hill.”

While the alums filed on stage to join the student Whims, Morris paid tribute to the group’s founder Katharine Hall Preston ’51, who formed the Whims in 1947 following an impromptu performance with friends at the Slype. Led by Sarah Sharpless ’93, the full group began with a song in their founder’s honor— “Sentimental Journey,” a tune that the Whims sang with Preston at the 40th reunion in 1987.

“What Katharine Hall Preston founded has touched us all,” Mitchell said. “Being part of the Whims changed our lives and who we were and are as individuals. If she hadn’t started the group, our college experiences would have been very different.”

The reunion concert program summed up the group’s feelings: “We’re grateful that at the age of 17, Kathie founded a singing group on a whim!”