Community Invited to WCU’s 150th Anniversary Open House Showcase:
Lots of FREE Activities to See, Hear, Touch & Taste to Wrap-up WCU’s Sesquicentennial!
Community members are invited to West Chester University on Saturday, April 23, for
free music, games, refreshments, and lots of educational fun during the University’s
150th Anniversary Open House Showcase.
As the University “wraps-up” its year-long anniversary celebration, there will be lots of hands-on activities to see, hear, touch, and taste. Neighbors near and far are welcome to visit campus to experience what makes Golden Rams proud. There will be something for all ages from artifacts to dig up to healthy cooking demonstrations to music to art exhibits to theatre & dance to instant ice cream and even the Anatomage Table’s 3D touch-sensitive human body visualizations. A campus-wide showcase will feature numerous faculty and students from all departments as they take part in a show-and-tell that demonstrates why WCU continues to be one of the region’s main destinations for educating today’s college students. Refreshments will be served on the Quad.
For more information about the University’s 150th Anniversary, visit the Sesquicentennial website.
Free See, Hear, Touch, & Taste Activities
The following are just some of the many activities that will be happening all around campus to stimulate the community’s senses on Saturday, 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
· Program the TI-Innovator Rover education robot
TASTE:
· Instant ice cream from the chemistry department
· Healthy cooking demonstrations by nutrition students
· Refreshments on the Quad
“West Chester University is pleased to open its doors and invite members of our community to campus to see our dynamic living-learning environment in action,” says West Chester University President Chris Fiorentino. “As a University that is committed to providing access to a quality education at an affordable cost, opening doors is what we do best as a community of educators. Our 150th anniversary year has been an extraordinary opportunity to show what it means to make a difference in people’s lives, to be a critical resource at all times and to take action as a good neighbor. Our mission of student success is quite intentional and we welcome the opportunity to share it with our neighbors for many years to come.”
The University’s open house showcase is all about sharing. Throughout the afternoon, visitors are welcome to speak with experts in a wide variety of fields including bioengineering, criminal justice, the arts, education, health care, social work, and many others.
Interactive Exhibition by Museum Studies Students & Faculty Experts
History buffs will even enjoy a special interactive and elaborate exhibition — WCU 150: History and Heritage. The exhibition, which is located on the main floor of Francis Harvey Green Library, features artifacts from the post-Civil War era to the roaring 20’s to today and has been created and installed by 15 undergraduate and graduate Museum Studies students under the guidance of Michael A. Di Giovine, director of the University’s Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology and director of the Museum Studies Program. Boasting artifacts from around the world that date back to 1871, the exhibition tells the story of the extraordinary people and significant events that have shaped the University into what it is today, the largest university within Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. The exhibit is sponsored by the West Chester University Alumni Association.
Time Capsule Presented & Final Items Collected!
Wrap-up anniversary festivities will conclude on Saturday, April 23, at 3 p.m. as Michael Di Giovine formally presents the University’s time capsule and collects final elements to be included: a letter to future classes from President Fiorentino, notes from a new class and items representing student life in 2022. In addition, President Fiorentino will officially close the 150th anniversary, the University’s Latin Jazz Band will play and more.
Pre-Open House Kickoff on Friday, April 22, with Football & Fireworks!
All wrap-up anniversary fun will officially “kickoff” on Friday, April 22, at 7 p.m. during a spring football scrimmage that will be held at Farrell Stadium, located at 855 South New Street in West Chester (South Campus). The football game will be followed by a Sesquicentennial Firework Display on the football field and the University’s Alumni Band will make a featured performance!
Alumni Weekend Will Take Place April 22-24
Alumni Weekend, which annually draws hundreds of alumni back to the University for reunions, socials, and special events, will also take place April 22 - 24.