“Postcards to Alumni” is a collection of monthly digital postcards featuring unique facts about Princeton’s history. The postcards were introduced in December 2022 by the Alumni Council’s Princetoniana and Communications and Technology (CAT) Committees who collaborated on the project.

January’s postcard about “Thornton Wilder, Writer Extraordinaire” was just released:

“Pulitzer Prize-winner Thornton Wilder *1926 took a leave of absence from his teaching position at the Lawrenceville School to pursue his M.A. in French literature at Princeton. He later taught at the University of Chicago and Harvard and served as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Air Force Intelligence Service during World War II. A prolific writer, he wrote seven novels, three plays, numerous short plays and librettos for two operas; translated and adapted plays by Ibsen, Sartre and Obey; and was a scriptwriter for Alfred Hitchcock’s 1943 thriller “Shadow of a Doubt.” Wilder’s second novel, “The Bridge of San Luis Rey,” received a Pulitzer Prize in 1928. In an August 1928 interview with The Daily Princetonian, he acknowledged that “the idea for the book dawned on me while studying for my M.A. in French at the Princeton Graduate School.” He received another Pulitzer in 1938 for his play “Our Town,” which debuted at McCarter Theatre on Jan. 22, 1938, prior to opening on Broadway. That same year, his play “The Merchant of Yonkers” premiered on Broadway, was later revised as “The Matchmaker” and ultimately adapted as the musical “Hello, Dolly.” In 1943, he received a third Pulitzer for his play “The Skin of Our Teeth.” Wilder remains the only writer to have been awarded Pulitzers for both fiction and drama. Among his many other awards: the Gold Medal for Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal for Literature, the National Book Award and Princeton’s Madison Medal. Today, “Our Town,” one of the most frequently produced plays in America, is back on Broadway!”

The postcards are being shared monthly with alumni around the globe via numerous digital channels.

“Our work as a committee is not only about collecting and archiving history, memorabilia and traditions but also how to share it and engage alumni,” said Jean Hendry *80, former chair of the Princetoniana committee, who is leading this initiative. “We brainstormed projects that would enable us to connect with alumni on a regular basis. At the same time, we didn’t want a project that caused alumni to have to do anything other than feel a connection to the University. ‘Postcards’ seemed to fit the bill.”

To research and collect the facts, Hendry tapped the Princetoniana committee. While Princetoniana members are experts in Princeton history and traditions, they leaned on the CAT Committee’s expertise in technology to help design the digital postcards. Credit for the initial postcard design belongs to CAT Committee member Cindy Drakeman ’02 who sourced images, conceived the nostalgic postcard look and “stamp” designs, suggested using “Dispatch” on the postcard to lend a nostalgic feel, and created many of the postcards. Credit goes to Princetoniana committee member Tom Swift ’76 for designing the initial postcard.

“We were so happy when Princetoniana approached us with the postcard idea,” said Michael Lin ’13, former vice chair of the CAT Committee. “The pandemic brought on an increase and a need for digital communication and initiatives, and this is a great one, much like Orange & Black Day that our committee helped introduce last year. ‘Postcards’ provides yet another opportunity to engage with alumni across the world and share the love of Princeton, while also bringing awareness to the great resource of Princetoniana and its museum.”

“Postcards to Alumni” will appear as a monthly feature in Tiger News and on @PrincetonAlumni social media channels. The postcards will also be archived in the Princetoniana virtual museum.