The university will celebrate its 150th birthday the same way it spreads knowledge – all around the world.
Pradeep Khanna, the associate chancellor for corporate and international relations, told the U. of I. Board of Trustees at its Sept. 10 meeting in Urbana that in addition to campus events, preparations are being made for a worldwide celebration in 2017 to mark the U. of I.’s start as a land-grand institution in 1867.
“I know we are more than a year away, but the excitement already is building,” he said.
Khanna said it is not only a time to celebrate the university’s impact around the world, but also to renew its land-grant commitment for the future.
“Our world truly needs us to continue to do work,” he said. “We intend to hold numerous, unique activities in China, India, South Korea, Brazil – anyplace where the U. of I. has had a major impact.”
The sesquicentennial will begin close to home Feb. 28, 2017, with an event at the State Farm Center.
The event will feature a conference with high-profile speakers, a reception and dinner, followed by special performances at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.
Other campus events are being planned throughout the year, and the 2017 Commencement activities will focus on campus history and the university’s global impact.
Khanna said a U. of I. history project, including the history of U. of I. athletics, will be released during the celebration, and there are plans to create a “distributed museum” featuring some of that history online. He said there also are plans in 2017 to dedicate an instructional building that focuses on multidisciplinary design.
All units are being asked to plan an event with a sesquicentennial theme, and Khanna asked trustees to find some way to mark the anniversary.
He said campus employees currently are working to provide sesquicentennial-themed marketing materials for campus units to use.
The last event is scheduled for October 2017, though Commencement 2018 will have a sesquicentennial component and other events may be added along the way.
For more information and event updates, go to 150.illinois.edu.
Other stories from the Sept. 10 U. of I. Board of Trustees meeting:
• Employees will be paid despite state budget impasse
• Enrollment strategies seeing success, leaders say
• Board OKs background checks, gender reassignment surgery, Urbana construction
