Thirty Years Later, Berkeley Values Live On
The PhD Class of MCB ’95 gathers for its first reunion
By Kirsten Mickelwait
August 9, 2025 marked 30 years since the PhD class of MCB ‘95 began their graduate studies together. Seventeen of the original 42 members (plus one transfer student) celebrated on that day with an on-campus reunion and symposium—arriving from locations as far away as Japan. It was an excellent opportunity for the class to reconnect, reminisce, and learn about their peers’ varied paths since grad school.
The idea for the event was conceived by Mara Duncan, associate chair of the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of Michigan Medical School. “I recently attended a retirement party for my postdoc adviser,” she says. “It was the first time he’d had any reunion and it was so much fun, we all regretted not doing it sooner. When I realized it would be 30 years since our MCB class started as first-year PhD students, I figured it was a good milestone to celebrate.”
Because Duncan was so far from campus, a local organizing committee was formed to help with the planning. Victor Holmes, Sarah McWhirter, Russell Vance, and Jill Fuss met five times over the past year to plan the logistics.
“It was a good excuse for the four of us to get together at each other's houses and share some wine,” Fuss says. “We did a couple of polls to gauge interest, pick a date, and ask for speaker volunteers, while Mara handled all the communications.”
The department provided funding for the room rental and food, and it was helpful to have current MCB faculty member Vance involved since he knew how to handle campus logistics to reserve rooms and get permits, she says.
The reunion weekend kicked off on Friday evening with a beer hour on the Barker Lawn, reviving an old student tradition in the department. On Saturday, a symposium featured short talks from various alumni on their career paths and current roles, from academia to research to entrepreneurship. A few “Follies” videos—skits written and filmed by students—were screened, with hilarious reminders of their past selves. And, on Saturday evening, a picnic at Tilden Park included families, a taco bar, and many promises to stay in touch.
After the event concluded, reviews from the participants were overwhelmingly positive. “My biggest takeaway was that my peers are so inspiring,” Duncan says. “The social events were fun, but the symposium was amazing! Every single talk left me with an epic grin on my face and thinking, ‘Wow, I’m so happy they got to do that!’”
Victor Holmes, chief of staff at E11 Bio, realized that “We're all the same people that we were as students! More grey hair and more papers published, but the kernel of what made us who we were and what made us friends is still there. Some of us look suspiciously the same as 30 years ago, however. I wonder if there's been aging research going on in secret...”
For many, the event also underscored the value of an MCB education. “Knowing how to learn, being independent and resourceful in finding information, and thinking rigorously about science have been the skates under my feet for every job I’ve had,” Holmes says.
Kimberly Bland, a biomedical data stewardship senior manager at Amgen, adds, “In the MCB program, I learned how to think critically and approach problems with curiosity and rigor. The mindset shaped by my PhD training has been a valuable foundation for different roles I’ve had—bench scientist, lab director, medical writer, and science communicator.”
“Even though everyone has taken different paths since grad school, it was great to see how everyone has maintained their Berkeley values,” says Vance, “doing meaningful work, valuing science, and caring about each other.”
Fuss agrees. “There was talk of doing another reunion again in five or ten years, but I’m hoping this catalyzes more frequent, less formal gatherings in the near future,” she says. “I hope people stay connected to each other and that there are ways that alumni can give back to the department—whether that be through mentoring current students, speaking at events, or financial support.”
Visit our Alumni and Friends webpage to hear more about MCB career outcomes, see fellow alumni profiles, and learn how to stay connected!
Banner image credit: Keegan Houser, UC Berkeley
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