Sesquicentennial Exposition Is April 23: Entertainment, Education, and More on Display for WCU’s 150th Anniversary
Saturday, April 23, is the “wrap party” for West Chester University’s Sesquicentennial,
when campus and community are invited to come together to celebrate the history, present,
and future of the University. The public is welcome to visit campus to experience
what makes Golden Rams of yesterday and today proud, from a rich tradition of music
to ultra-current technology to both longstanding and new community connections and
so much more.
The Sesquicentennial Celebration is open to the public, who can visit WCU’s historic and newest buildings on guided tours, walk through the institution’s history in the museum’s anniversary exhibit, see lasers and other new technology in use in various departments, and talk with experts in an array of fields including bioengineering, criminal justice, the arts, education, health care, social work, and many other disciplines.
The main attraction on Saturday afternoon will be the campus showcase from 1 to 3 p.m., plus music, games, hands-on activities, and information on the Quad. Faculty and students from all departments are excited to show guests how WCU is preparing students for today’s and tomorrow’s careers, and how the University has always built and maintained connections with communities both near and far.
Here’s just a sample of what’s happening on April 23:
SEE:
- Theatre and Dance students perform Into the Woods
- Virtual reality, drones, and 3D modeling in action at the GIS lab
- Art exhibits by senior fine arts students
HEAR:
- School of Music ensembles and soloists
- Tones in a hearing screening from speech pathology students
- About research and community connections with students from all departments
TOUCH:
- The Anatomage Table’s 3D touch-sensitive human body visualizations
- The Earth and dig up artifacts with the anthropology department
- And program the TI-Innovator Rover education robot
TASTE:
- Instant ice cream from the chemistry department
- The results of healthy cooking demonstrations by nutrition students
- Refreshments on the Quad
Guests will glimpse what’s in WCU’s Special Collections, housed in Francis Harvey Green Library, and learn about 150 years of music performance and study in an exhibition at Presser Music Library. Details of these and other events are being finalized and additional information will be posted on the sesquicentennial website as it becomes available.
Some of what WCU will be celebrating is featured in the WCU 150: History & Heritage Museum Exhibition virtual Zoom lecture tours. These free live programs are recorded as they occur; previous programs are available at this link. Coming up:
Tuesday, April 5: Lofty Sentiments of Duty: A History of Military Service at WCU
Wednesday, April 13: A Virtual Walking Tour of the University’s Sculpture Collection
Tuesday, April 19: Creating an Environmentally, Economically, and Socially Sustainable WCU
Alumni Weekend, which annually draws hundreds of alumni back to West Chester for reunions, socials, and special events, also takes place April 22 to 24.
And the popular student “Ramboree” takes place on Friday, April 22, from noon to 6:30 p.m. in Ram Park between Sykes Student Union and Roslyn Avenue. Students are invited to walk en masse to the spring football game on South Campus. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
The University’s sesquicentennial commemorative book, We Serve: West Chester University 1871 - 2021 Sesquicentennial History, authored by Anne E. Krulikowski, associate professor of American history/public history, is available through the WCU Campus Store for $15. Krulikowski will sign copies of the book in person on April 23 near the History and Heritage exhibit on the first floor of Francis Harvey Green Library. Proceeds from sales go toward student scholarships.
Mugs, T-shirts, and other WCU 150th anniversary mementoes are available at the WCU Campus Store, which will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, April 18, through Friday, April 22, and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 23. Online ordering is also available: wcucampusstore.com.
We look forward to welcoming the community as West Chester University begins the next 150 years.