LoLi hear ya.. I was thinking of electronic records, and reports from interships etc.. As a side note:I had an instructor who used previous student projects as examples for new students. (He even kept one of mine) He still had them some yrs later. (I stayed in touch w/him for a little while)
Yes, if there is a particularly good project, I might keep it for such a purpose. But that is really the exception. Maybe 1 out of 200.
Since you stayed in touch with your prof, you were probably an exceptional student and made an impression on him. Of a typical class, only a handful of students will do that. Most are very forgetable.
I'd be hardpressed even to remember the faces of medicore students even from as early as 2 years ago.