University News

[LOCATION CHANGED] Founders' Day to be Celebrated Sept. 22

September 20, 2023

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[UPDATED LOCATION] Due to the rain forecast, Founders' Day will be held at 8:30 a.m. in the Sherman Hall Auditorium, third floor.

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL - - Faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members are invited to celebrate the founding of Western at the 30th annual Founders' Day Celebration at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 22 on the front steps of Sherman Hall, where classes were held for the first time 121 years ago.

The 2023 Founders' Day Celebration will begin with the ceremonial bell ringing by Rick Van Etten, great-grandson of Edwin DeCamp, who first rang the bell Sept. 23, 1902 to signal the start of classes at Western Illinois State Normal School.

President Guiyou Huang will speak, as will Provost Manoochehr Zoghi and Board of Trustees Vice Chair Greg Aguilar. Former Macomb Mayor Tom Carper will present "A Talk with the Founders Today." [Rain location: Sherman Hall Auditorium]. The event will be live-streamed at youtube.com/westernillinoisu. An informal reception will be held immediately following in the Admissions Welcome Center, Sherman Hall first floor.

"I'm so excited to be celebrating another Founders' Day with you," Huang said. "It's a great day to be a Leatherneck, and it's a great day to celebrate Western's longstanding mission of providing an accessible quality education to all."

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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