EVVY Programs and Quidditch Capes: Things We Kept From Our Emerson Days

David Ertischek ’01

Emerson alums are unequivocally proud of our football team that’s never, ever been defeated in the College’s 181-year history – and many  still wear the T-shirts to prove it!

Of course, it’s not just Emerson football T-shirts, one of which was worn by a character on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, that we keep for years after graduating.

We wanted to know what Lions have held on to, so in an Emerson Mafia Facebook post, the question was posed: What branded keepsakes do you have from your time at Emerson?

More than 400 comments later,  we learned just how much alumni loved Emerson’s fictional and unstoppable football team, as it was the overwhelming favorite keepsake.

Playbills, show posters, room key lanyards, mugs, Emerson IDs, WERS and WECB items, EVVY Award rundowns and program guides, Berkeley Beacon issues, literary magazines are all common keepsakes. T-shirts and other clothing items from orientation, fraternities, and organizations are still being used to this day or kept for sentimentality.

Cheryl Lustenberger ’89 still has her satin techie jacket from working in the TV studios on Beacon Street.

“Even has my name embroidered on it. Pretty snazzy for the ‘80s!” said Lustenberger.

And who doesn’t love reminiscing about their time at Emerson?

“I have digital copies of my yearbook, acceptance letter, school/course catalogs from 1980 to 1984. Fun to flip through on occasion,” said Janice Soled ’84.

We give new life to old memorabilia. Brenda Lillie ’91 said she’s kept two spring musical posters, and recycled one of her Emerson T-shirts  into  a square for a  quilt.

“I have recently found a use for this megaphone I’ve held on to since orientation 2001, as a defense against my cat sitting on the warm Wifi router and knocking the power button,” said Katie Ford ’02.

Maybe the bumper stickers about being a proud Emerson parent have been scraped off the car, but  family members still sport their Emerson gear.

“I have playbills from every show I’ve ever seen including Emerson productions,” said Mackenzie Douglas ’11. “And I use an Emerson blanket to cover my dog’s crate. And my dad still uses his ‘Emerson Dad’ coffee mug even though I graduated over ten years ago.”

Jamie Kennedy’s mom still has the chocolate Emerson logo given as a dessert at a graduation event.

“I have urged her to please throw [it] away, I worry about ten year old chocolate,” said Kennedy, who verified with her mother that it was from a commencement welcome dinner for families.

We keep what we were given on our last day as students. Courtney Lewis ’99 has the T-shirt given to grads as they walked off stage. Said Lewis, “I will never throw it away. It’s 22 years old [and] still going strong.”

Another unique Emerson branded keepsake is the beautiful chair that Allison Dolan-Wilson ’99 received as a thank you for doing work study in the alumni office for four years.

As an alum and a former faculty member, Jon Boroshok ‘84 had the opportunity to get mementos as a matriculant and educator.

“I have a clear coffee mug from graduation, my tassel, and a copy or two of the Berkeley Beacon…” said Boroshok. “While teaching at Emerson as an adjunct from 2002-2011, someone gave me an old Emerson hockey jersey.”

Jerseys from all sports are ubiquitous – from official teams, intramural leagues, defunct and resurrected teams, fictional squads, and broom-based games are still valued and kept close to our hearts. There are quite a few of quidditch capes still soaring!

Many kept things that are not necessarily officially Emerson branded, but are part of the College’s lore.

“I won a Tam hoodie as part of a Class of 2019 seniors raffle and it’s the BEST,” said Kathryn Garelli ’20.

Mercedes Roman-Manson ’98 was able to get signage from the old Charlesgate dorm from a friend when it was being removed and made into condominiums.

Sue Hester Pendleton ’87 has a haunted Charlesgate dorm mug.

Reed Kneski ’18 has a trophy for being the Emerson College Hot Dog Eating Champion??

But the best keepsake that many people mentioned was their roommate or friend who turned into their significant other.

“Married for almost 21 years,” said Bek Mortelliti Caruso ’98.