Alumni Home > Clubs, Classes & Groups > Classes > Cardinal & Gray Society

MIT Cardinal and Gray Society

History

Founded in 1985 at the prompting of Max Seltzer '18, the Cardinal and Gray Society honors those alumni who have reached the 50th anniversary of their graduation. All alumni, who have passed that milestone are members of the society and are entitled to wear the trademark red jacket and class crest.

The Trademark Red Jacket

In 1966, The Class of 1916, returning to MIT for its 50th reunion, organized a fund to purchase a reunion jacket for each of their classmates, instituting The Cardinal and Gray Society. Since then, alumni attending their 50th Reunion are distinguished by wearing gray slacks and the beautiful Cardinal blazer, bearing a detachable and intricately stitched MIT breast pocket crest.

The 50th reunion class also plays an important role in each year's Commencement exercises. Learn about the traditional graduation march.

All members of the Cardinal and Gray Society attending MIT events are invited to wear their red jackets when attending MIT events.

Order a Red Jacket

Don't have a red jacket? You may order one from Gould's Clothing.

Gould’s Clothing
Gould's Plaza
260 Great Road
Acton, MA 01720
Phone: 978-263-0374

MIT Red Jacket Order Form (PDF)

Activities

The Cardinal and Gray Society provides Institute-related intellectual and social activities. These activities present opportunities throughout the year for those who share similar experiences to meet once again and "drink from the fire hose." Traditionally, members of the Society are invited to participate in an annual Cardinal & Gray reunion during Tech Reunions in June, a fall luncheon and presentation by a prominent member of the faculty, and a spring luncheon following the Catherine N. Stratton Lecture Series.

Past Activities

October 24, 2007 - New England Cardinal and Gray Society Fall Lecture and Luncheon
at the Weston Golf Club in Weston, MA
Special Guest Speaker: Daniel E. Hastings, Dean for Undergraduate Education and Professor of Aero Astro & Engineering Systems at MIT
Dean Hastings' talk "Developing the Message for MIT", touched upon the different images of MIT and how they are put together to come up with a theme for the Campaign for Students.

October 30, 2006 - MIT Cardinal and Gray Society Fall Lecture and Luncheon with Special Guest Speaker: John Durant, Director, MIT Museum and Historical Collections. Location: Hotel@MIT, Cambridge, MA.

September 21, 2005, members of the Cardinal and Gray Society held a luncheon at the Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord, MA to welcome Dr. Susan Hockfield, MIT's 16th President. Arnold A. Kramer '52, Chair of the Cardinal and Gray Society and President of the Class of 1952 introduced President Hockfield to a crowd of over 200 alumni and guests.

Arnold A. Kramer '52 (Chair of the Cardinal and Gray Society) with Nancy Lurie and Robert Lurie '52	President Hockfield shakes hands with Walter Koltun '48	The crowd of red jacket wearers and guests mix and mingle before lunch
Bill Cavanaugh '51, Sanford Greenfield '52, and Ginny Cavanaugh enjoy a moment outdoors before lunch	President Hockfield greets Wendell Sykes '50 and Betsy Constantine	Robert Djorup '55, Homer Eckhardt '45, and Al Seville '48
Caroline Servi, Italo Servi ML '49, and Philip Stark '53	President Hockfield shares a laugh with Cathy Schwenk (wife of George Schwenk '54)	Arnold A. Kramer '52 and Robert Sandman '48

Contact

For more information about the Cardinal and Gray Society, please contact Sarah Hendrick in the Alumni Association at (617) 253-8246 or via email at cgsociety@mit.edu.