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A Brief History of Founders’ Day

Celebrate Ursinus on February 5th! Paint the Campus Red this Wednesday as Ursinus celebrates its origins on Founders’ Day.

On February 11, 1909 the custom of annually celebrating the founding of Ursinus College began with the first Founders’ Day celebration. While this first Founders’ Day commemorated not only Ursinus’s beginnings, but also Abraham Lincoln’s birthday (complete with a eulogy!), the patriotic element was dropped in succeeding convocations. Founders’ Day was celebrated every February until President McClure’s administration, when the time was changed to early November to avoid inclement weather. Founders’ Day continued with the November date until 1995, when it was discontinued.

The Founders’ Day tradition was revived on February 4th, 2016, by Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow (STAT) with a “Party like it’s 1869” theme. Since then, Founders’ Day has brought a birthday party atmosphere to campus on February 5th of each year.

This year on Wednesday, February 5th, between 11:30 and 1:30, there will be an all-campus Fire and Ice Celebration. An Ice Sculptor will create the Ursinus Bear using a chainsaw on the Olin Plaza. Three fire pits will also be set up in the Plaza for grilling s’mores. A Founders’ Feud hosted by Doug Ulrich will be held inside Wismer where you can test your UC knowledge. The theme for the day will be ‘Paint the Campus Red.’ Wear your red UC gear to show your love for 150 years of Ursinus!

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Contact

Carolyn Weigel
Ursinus College Archivist
Phone: 610-409-3502
cweigel@ursinus.edu
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