Founders Week, an annual commemoration of Emory's establishment in 1836 and its accomplishments since then, will include the University's first-ever Founders Day event on Feb. 6.
The Student Government Association (SGA), Student Programming Council (SPC) and the Emory Alumni Association will co-sponsor Founders Day, which will occur on the date of the first meeting of Emory College's Board of Trustees in 1837.
Goizueta Business School junior Jordan Angel, a member of the Founders Day planning committee, said he and the planning committee worked to make Founders Day interactive for students. Founders Day will include horse-drawn carriage rides to honor the death of John Emory, the Methodist bishop after whom Emory is named, along with an Emory history timeline on the Quadrangle and a photo booth.
"I believe that the fun interactive components of the event will help us to accomplish students walking away with a better understanding of Emory's traditions and history," Angel said.
"I also think building off of the success of last year's big 175th anniversary celebration will help us in our goal."
This event is part of Founders Week, a celebration consisting of different events, including musical performances as well as lectures and panel discussions from Emory faculty and a Wonderful Wednesday celebration. All events, which will take place from Feb. 3 to Feb. 9, are free and open to the public.
Goizueta Business School junior and Founders Day Board member Catie Morette said she hopes Founders Week will encourage students to learn more about Emory's past.
"We hope that through this year's Founders Week Celebration, students, faculty and staff will take away a greater understanding and appreciation of Emory's rich and often quirky history," she said.
Angel said he hopes the introduction of Founders Day will help make Founders Week more attractive for the student body. During the first semester, he said, SGA, SPC and the Student Alumni Board "were all independently trying to build tradition and excitement on campus."
"Through open conversations and creative brainstorming sessions, we came up with the concept of Founders Day," Angel said. "We thought building off of the established Founders Week was a perfect way to create a sustainable, new tradition."
Both Angel and Morette said planning the event has been a great opportunity for collaboration, further noting that they anticipate Emory students will enjoy what's in store.
"I hope that everyone comes out in Emory gear and enjoys learning more about the university we all love," Angel said.
Founders Week has been celebrated annually since the 1800s. According to the Emory website, the week serves as a "stepping stone between the annual academic celebrations of Opening Convocation and Commencement" and aims to "celebrate the role of the University in promoting inquiry and intellectual life."
– By Wendy Becker
wrbecke@emory.edu
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