The OCCC Alumni Association and the OCCC Foundation will host an alumni reception to give current students and alumni a chance to spend time with President Sechrist before his retirement on July 1, said Randy Cassimus, alumni relations and community associate director. Celebrate Sechrist will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on April 30 in Sarkeys Foundation Atrium in the Visual and Performing Arts Theater.

The OCCC Alumni Association usually hosts one or two receptions a year, but this one will be a little different, Cassimus said. Alums and students will have the opportunity to give thanks to President Sechrist at his last reception.

“We’re especially inviting, all of our alums are invited, but we’re really targeting alums who have maybe graduated within the past 10 years since he’s been president. He would have impacted their life in some sort of way as president of the college while they were actually here.” he said.

J.R. Webster, the Alumni Association president, will be the Master of Ceremonies, and special guests will include Lacey Lett, KFOR anchor and OCCC Hall of Fame Inductee and Alyssa Steward, a scholarship student.

Cassimus said the program itself will be short, lasting only 30 minutes, giving students and alums around an hour and a half to mingle, enjoy beverages and finger foods and listen to the OCCC Jazz Band.

Cassimus encourages students and alums to attend and spend some time on campus.

“It’s just really an opportunity for a lot of alums to come back to campus and maybe see a professor they haven’t seen in a while or reconnect with maybe somebody they went to school [with] while they were here,” he said.

For more information, contact Cassimus by email at rcassimus@occc.edu or by phone at 405-682-7478.