Closing events for 150th celebration Thursday, Oct. 24
Friday, Oct. 18, 2013
MANHATTAN -- All good things must eventually come to an end, but the spirit of celebration and tradition will continue.
From 3-5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, Kansas State University will conclude its nine-month sesquicentennial celebration with the 150th Grand Finale and closing ceremonies reception on the Anderson Hall lawn. In the case of inclement weather, the celebration will move indoors to the K-State Student Union Courtyard.
The event will include a viewing of the artifacts that will go into the university's time capsule, a performance by the K-State Marching Band, giveaways, booths of sesquicentennial memorabilia, an appearance by Willie the Wildcat and remarks at 4:15 p.m. by President Kirk Schulz and university chief of staff and sesquicentennial chair Jackie Hartman -- all complemented by the final batch of the Wildcat birthday 150 cake-flavored ice cream that was introduced by the Call Hall dairy bar. The event is free and open to the public.
"The sesquicentennial has surpassed our expectations in that we have had the opportunity to share more of our university's history with the K-State students, family, community and region than we anticipated," Hartman said. "We continue to be amazed by the pride and allegiance that K-Staters have for their university. We are forever grateful for all the folks who participated in the nine-month celebration and we hope that this celebration will live on as a point of pride in K-State's history."
On Feb. 14 the university began a nine-month celebration of its 150 years of improving the knowledge and lives of Kansans and people around the world. Festivities have included the 1863 wheat variety; 30 custom fiberglass Wildcat statues decorated by Kansas artists; a sesquicentennial scholarship for students; the 150th lecture series; and the Museum of Wonder exhibition that featured an eclectic mix of objects representing the university's history.
Kansas State University was founded Feb. 16, 1863, as the nation's first operational land-grant university created under the Morrill Act.
