13 of the original 50 residents, accompanied by several of their spouses, are the proud members of the C. W. Moss Living and Learning Institute. The name is a loving title they chose for the floor they all shared in 1967 while living in Holden Hall on the 2nd floor of the east side of the building. The inspiration for the name came from the story of Bonnie and Clyde; they chose the duo's getaway driver as inspiration. 

Not every floor is bonded in the same way. In fact, they are one of the only alumni groups of their kind still meeting and staying connected. This is in large part due to the effort from several group members, with member Paul Vigilanti being a key factor in the group’s longevity.  

“This group has so much chemistry in friendships and everything that we knew it was going to be wonderful if we stayed in touch,” Vigilanti said. “Michigan State meant so much to all of us, and then to be on the same floor, we all wanted to get together as friends.” 

Vigilanti entered Michigan State in 1968 and lived in Holden Hall his first year on campus. He majored in Television, Radio and Journalism and worked as a sports broadcaster for 25 years. Although it was his position at the MSU Alumni Office during the 80s that proved the most useful in organizing the reunions. 

“I was lucky to have worked here to understand the university a little bit more as far as how it operated and who you contact, and that’s when I called the Alumni Development Office,” Vigilanti said. “I knew Lisa Parker was in Alumni Engagement and that she would enjoy the story because it is so unique. She said that nothing’s ever happened like this where a group of alumni have come back in our demographic, in their mid-70s.” 

Lisa Parker is the senior director of Alumni Engagement at MSU, and she worked with Vigilanti to organize the time and place for their 2-day reunion, ensuring they could visit Holden Hall and other important locations.

“This is a very specific group that lived here in Holden, and so they have a shared experience,” Parker said. “We like to engage them through their heart, which is that past memory, and invite them to join us in the present and tell them about our aspirations for the future.”  

Parker also spoke about the role Vigilanti played in orchestrating this reunion for the first class of Holden Hall residents. 

“This is a group of people who kept in touch for sure, but there was one individual in particular, Paul, who took ownership in making sure the group continues to get back together," Parker said. “Every group needs that person... take that initiative, don’t worry about what you’re being left out of, and just think about what you can create to include others.” 

That spirit of inclusion is evident among the C.W. Moss floor residents, and although many have dubbed Paul the organizer, he made sure to mention another member’s efforts to keep the group together. 

Bryan Dunlop arrived at Michigan State to study economics in 1967 and lived in Holden Hall during its first year of operation. He went off to attend the University of Michigan’s medical school and afterwards practiced as an anesthesiologist. Dunlop spoke to some of the unique bonding moments the residents shared during their time at Holden Hall. 

“We had a remarkable number of good athletes, so we had success playing flag football, which was one of the intramural sports at the time,” Dunlop said. “We went all the way to the University Intramural Finals, where we lost to a fraternity team, so those were remarkable bonding experiences for us.”  

The group of men has managed to keep in contact for over 50 years, thanks to small yearly gatherings and bigger get-togethers for milestone years. 

“We stuck together for 2 years, and then even in our small groups we went off and lived off campus in Cedar Village, Old City Village, and houses around some of the student ghetto areas around here,” Dunlop said. “Our first big get-together... it was a picnic that we had on a Saturday or Sunday at Lake Lansing when many of us had kids.” 

Dunlop lamented the joyful memories he has with this group and spoke to the importance of this 58th Reunion. 

“You might ask, why 58 years? I mean, it's not a silver anniversary or a golden anniversary, it’s just 58 years,” Dunlop said. “We’re all mid-70s and up, people start to drop, and we lost two of our good friends over the last year, and we were all thinking the same thing, why wait?” 

The men and their spouses enjoyed two days of catching up, enjoying meals around campus, touring unique locations, and simply looking out at a campus that has changed a lot in 58 years.  

Although decades have passed, the same young men who bonded years ago are still cracking jokes and sharing inside humor years later. The love across the group was overflowing, and the care and happiness that permeated the space were hard not to notice.  

Many of the original members of the C.W. Moss Living and Learning Institute have moved away from East Lansing, and their group is spread out nationwide. However, their dedication to community and brotherhood has allowed their friendships to hold strong even 58 years later.