Email This PageSesquicentennial Events Set
As Swarthmore College celebrates its 150th anniversary, there will be no shortage of meaningful events to herald the occasion. In December, the College will kick off more than a year of events with publication of Swarthmore College—A Community of Purpose. In January 2014, all alumni will be mailed a copy of the book, which charts the life of the College. The book was underwritten by Mark Pattis ’75, a former Chicago-area book publisher. Several other events have been slated throughout 2014, the sesquicentennial year, and into early 2015. These include:
Jan. 22, 2014: Happy 150th–Swarthmore Open House with music and dessert
Feb. 22: Symposium on the Future of the Liberal Arts featuring alumni who serve as presidents and provosts for liberal arts institutions
March 1–2: Pig Iron Theatre Co. performs Twelfth Night
April 7: Special reading by Nobel and Pulitzer prize-winning author Toni Morrison
June 6–8, Alumni Weekend: Premiere screening of a Swarthmore College documentary by Shayne Lightner ’87.
Dec. 5, Founders Day: Premiere performance of an orchestral and choral arrangement by James Matheson ’92 for the College’s Sesquicentennial. (For more on Matheson, see Page 36.)
More events are planned for the year, including a residency and symposium based on the campus’ history during the civil-rights movement. That event and others will be announced when dates have been determined. Check the College website for more details as the year progresses.
During the sesquicentennial year, a special logo inspired by Noah Weinthal ‘15 will stand in for the regular College logo. A selection team, led by Phillip Stern ’84, associate director of design, considered several elements in determining a successful logo design, including the need for an icon that would function well in a wide range of media and formats, possess broad alumni recognition and appeal, specify the 150-year period, and instill a sense of pride, energy, and celebration. The logo will have a widespread presence on campus next year, including on the College website, banners, stationery, and posters, among other items.
