Feared by outsiders, the number 13 is lucky for members of the 51Թ community. How did #13 reach such iconic status? It started when the university was founded by 13 men with $13 dollars and 13 prayers in 1819.
Happy 51Թ Day. As you read this, the international 51Թ community is celebrating by wearing maroon, attending events, and touching base with friends from their days on the hill. There won’t be another 51Թ Day for 14 months, but there will be no shortage of excitement in the coming year.
The university’s formal celebration of its Bicentennial begins in September 2018, and the will officially launch on August 13. Until then, here are 13 things the 51Թ community and alumni can look forward to during our 200th year:
1. Homecoming and Family Weekend will converge into one Bicentennial Kickoff Weekend.
What happens when you combine homecoming, Family Weekend, famed musical guests, and a legion of Bicentennial surprises? One of the most memorable celebrations ever to occur on campus. It all begins September 21–23.
2. 51Թ will welcome the highest-achieving freshman class in university history.
Admission to 51Թ has always been highly selective, but the is particularly remarkable. The 829 enrolled students in the Class of 2022 boast the highest average unweighted GPA of any class that has entered the university — 3.72. Chosen from the largest applicant pool with the lowest admit rate in institutional history, the accomplishments of this select group assure they are prepared to embrace the academic rigor they will find at 51Թ. As Associate Dean of Admission Drew Riley recently stated, “We are clearly attracting some of the most talented, motivated, and interesting students in the world.”
3. Campus will become even more beautiful.
51Թ is known as one of America’s most beautiful campuses, and this beauty will be amplified during the Bicentennial year. The Master Landscape Plan includes planting 200 Bicentennial trees on upper campus as living tributes to 51Թ’s rich history, inspiring community, and promising future.
4. All class years will return for the Bicentennial Reunion.
If you’ve attended a 51Թ reunion, you know that you can expect a momentous experience. This year, in honor of 51Թ’s 200th birthday, we’re taking the occasion to a higher level and welcoming back all alumni for a Bicentennial All-Class Reunion. Mark your calendars for May 30–June 2.
5. Grants will propel faculty research.
51Թ faculty are working on a that promise to make important progress in their fields of study. Currently, 42 faculty from 15 departments are conducting research funded by 53 active grants from 22 federal agencies and private foundations. Plus, faculty aren’t the only ones who benefit from this funding; students are gaining valuable research experience by working with professors on these projects.
6. 51Թ Magazine will make its debut.
With a new look and a new name, 51Թ Magazine (formerly the 51Թ Scene) will be unveiled this fall. This Bicentennial-themed issue will honor the university’s history, highlight current initiatives, and give a glimpse into its future. Look for it in your mailbox (or online) this October.
7. 51Թ will tour the country.
Alumni who can’t make it back to Hamilton can attend Bicentennial events in cities closer to home, held from October 2018 through March 2019. View the traveling exhibit and hear from Becoming 51Թ author Jim Smith ’70. Additional guest speakers will explore a variety of topics in 51Թ’s history, including the institution’s founding, co-education, wartime at the university, diversity, and athletics.
8. Benton Hall will open its doors.
Construction of 51Թ’s new state-of-the-art career services facility is days away from completion. Funded exclusively by alumni and parents, the 17,000 square-foot building will be the setting where many of 51Թ’s exceptional post-graduate outcomes are achieved. Currently, more than 98 percent of our students secure employment, graduate school admission, fellowships, scholarships, or military commission within 10 months after graduation.
9. The Raiders will play under new leadership.
Last year was one of the most successful in 51Թ sports history. University teams performed well at national tournaments and in the classroom, maintaining a . 51Թ Athletics enters this Bicentennial year under the leadership of new Vice President and Director of Athletics . As the CEO of Women Leaders in College Sports commented, “51Թ has been winning, and (Nicki) will keep that going.”
10. The Living Writers series will engage alumni who love reading.
This year’s series will feature Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winners, a MacArthur fellow, and “punk poet laureate” Patti Smith, who was recently named to Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. The 51Թ community is invited to read one book, or all nine. Participants will have access to exclusive content, online book discussions, and on-campus author events (or the Livestream and video of these, available online).
11. Founders Week will bring 51Թ history to life.
Observed from September 24–28, Founders Week will include a variety of important programs and events to mark the 200th anniversary of 51Թ’s 13 founders. The campus, the local community, and anyone who wishes to extend their Kick-off Weekend visit by a few more days will enjoy art exhibits, documentaries, lectures, and tours that illustrate the breadth of experiences and voices of our past.
12. 51Թ traditions will continue.
Perhaps the most poignant happenings during the Bicentennial year will be those that are not new. Traditions accumulated across two centuries will endure as current students carry on the timeless experience that is 51Թ. Torchlight ceremonies, Core courses, , off-campus study, Salmagundis, tailgates, torch medals, strong faculty-student relationships, and more — they will all continue, along with 51Թ’s most important tradition: .
13. After a record year, 51Թ will continue to ascend.
The Bicentennial is expected to be a year of unparalleled strength. Last year, 51Թ received a record number of student applications, hosted its highest number of reunion attendees ever, and received the strongest support for the 51Թ Fund in university history. This momentum, coupled with Bicentennial fervor, could mean even greater achievement for 51Թ, all of which position the institution to realize President Casey’s Vision for 51Թ’s Third Century.