Dear Orange Friends,
Syracuse University’s 150th anniversary begins this summer. I am writing today to give you a preview of a small portion of the events planned for our yearlong sesquicentennial celebration. Starting with Welcome Week in August, Syracuse University will provide opportunities throughout the year to study and understand our past, present and future.
I thank the 150th Steering Committee members, especially co-chairs Bea González and Sue Ballard, for their great work guiding our recognition of this important milestone.
Here is some of what is planned:
150 Days of Service: Starting in the fall, our community will complete 15,000 hours of combined volunteer service over 150 days. Students, alumni, faculty and staff are invited to join in the spirit of volunteerism that has been a core value since our founding.
150 Years of Tradition Exhibition: During the first week in September, there will be an opening reception at Bird Library’s Special Collections Research Center for a 150 Years of Tradition Exhibition, which will run all year. The exhibition will draw on our extensive archive to trace the origins of our traditions and highlight significant moments since the University’s founding.
150th Engagement Series: There will be an engagement series running throughout the year. If you are unable to make it back to campus, you still have the opportunity to celebrate with us. The Office of Alumni Engagement and Syracuse University Alumni Association will host 150th anniversary events all over the country. Wherever you call home, you will always be part of the Orange community.
New Building Openings: The sesquicentennial year will be marked by the openings of new facilities that benefit our students and communities. Construction crews are hard at work putting the finishing touches on the Barnes Center at The Arch and enclosing the National Veterans Resource Center. These new facilities represent our investment in two of our highest priorities: enhancing our student experience and making Syracuse the best place for veterans.
National Orange Day: Syracuse University was founded on March 24, 1870. On March 24, 2020, we will celebrate this birthday on campus and in cities across the country. I hope you will join the extended Orange family to mark the occasion.
These are just a few of the opportunities this year to recognize how far we have come, what we have learned, and what we aspire to achieve in our exciting Orange future.
I hope you all participate.
Sincerely,
Chancellor Kent Syverud