This year marks the beginning of Western Carolina University’s 125th year of existence, and university faculty, staff and students are planning a yearlong celebration to mark the milestone.
The festivities will get underway at 12:25 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, in the Grandroom of A.K. Hinds University Center on the WCU campus. The kick-off event will include a fashion show of apparel adorned with WCU’s 125th logo, and refreshments, prizes, games, giveaways, displays and birthday cake. That night, the men’s basketball team will play Davidson in a Southern Conference game at Ramsey Regional Activity Center.
The official 125th anniversary bash will be held in August, the month in which the school that became WCU was founded in 1889. The event is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 26, with a picnic on the University Center lawn, old-fashioned games, music and photo opportunities in historical garb representative of the late 19th century.
The final celebration event is tentatively set for Friday, Dec. 5, in the Ramsey Center, with music from the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band for those who will graduate during the December 2014 commencement, the last graduating class of WCU’s 125th year.
For more information and a full list of events, click on www.celebrate125.wcu.edu.