125 Years in the Making: Turning Everyday Gatherings into Extraordinary Celebrations

Author

Samantha Crossley, Director of Special Events & Summer Programs, Elizabethtown College

​Quasquicentennial – try saying that five times fast! During the 2024-2025 academic year, Elizabethtown College celebrated their 125th anniversary since its founding in 1899. We set out to create something truly special for our community: a celebration that honors our rich history while also embracing the many ways we will shape the future for generations to come.

Planning for the quasquicentennial began in 2022, when a committee was formed that brought together partners from across campus—student life, marketing, academic affairs, events, and even members of the graduating class of 2025. To address key areas in greater detail, subcommittees were created to provide targeted guidance. From the beginning, we knew we didn’t want to create entirely new events. Instead, our goal was to elevate existing traditions by using the resources we already had. With support from the scheduling office, the committee reviewed annual events and identified opportunities to enhance them in celebration of the 125th milestone. This became a yearlong series of celebrations, beginning with Convocation.

Convocation is the official ceremony that marks the start of the academic year. The event includes an academic procession of faculty and administrators, an induction of the incoming class, and an address by the president. For our 125th year, the College launched a new tradition by hosting Convocation in conjunction with the First-Year Student Induction Ceremony. Families were invited to attend and witness their students beginning the next chapter of their lives on campus. Transforming our vast fieldhouse into a welcoming space was a major lift for the events team, but the effort paid off. New students heard words of encouragement from the Provost and Dean of Students, met distinguished faculty, and connected with current Blue Jays. After the president’s remarks, students participated in a candle-lighting ceremony symbolizing the light each one brings to campus. To make the event even more memorable, our technical teams set up a video wall and 360-degree cameras, while the Office of Marketing & Communications produced a heartfelt video featuring parents’ messages to their students (cue the tears!).

One new addition to the calendar was our Charter Day Celebration. As co-chair of the Charter Week subcommittee, I worked with local vendors to create a break from classes on the academic quad. The celebration included food trucks, live music, giveaways, yard games, and even an inflatable obstacle course, along with the opportunity to view the College’s original charter document. The first 100 attendees received a commemorative canvas tote bag, which proved to be very popular. Throughout the afternoon, prize drawings were held every 15 minutes, with giveaways such as Stanley tumblers, College Store gift cards, stuffed Blue Jays, and more. Despite less-than-ideal weather, more than half of the campus community came out to join the festivities.

Community partnership has always been important at Etown, and we made sure to highlight those connections during the anniversary year. In fact, the College’s first day of classes in 1899 was held in Heisey Hall, now home to a local favorite—Brothers Pizza. To celebrate that history, Brothers offered $1.25 pizza slices and fountain drinks to anyone who presented a valid Etown ID on the anniversary of the first day of classes.

Our annual Holiday Dinner & Tree Lighting Ceremony was bigger and brighter than ever. The fieldhouse was transformed into a winter wonderland complete with uplighting, a photo booth, specialty linens, a
carving station, sushi towers, and even a sparkling champagne wall, with drinks served by senior leaders of the College. After dinner, the campus community gathered outdoors for the president’s reading of Everybody’s Tree before lighting the tree and menorah, enjoying performances by our a cappella groups, and spending time together around fire pits.

The celebrations continued into the spring semester. One highlight was Power of One Day, our annual 24-hour giving challenge. In honor of the 125th anniversary, one “Power Hour” challenge pledged $20,000 from a loyal donor couple if 125 donors made a gift between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. The community rallied together, surpassing the goal and achieving the highest totals in Power of One Day history.

We also reimagined our annual scholarship dinner, rebranded as the 125th Anniversary Dinner. The event celebrated milestone accomplishments, honored donors and student scholars, and looked ahead to the next 125 years at Etown. Students who participated in Scholarship and Creative Arts Day showcased their research and creative work to board members, donors, and guests. Attendance doubled from prior years, with more than 400 attendees. A lively reception allowed students to network with alumni and supporters, followed by a formal dinner where donors and scholarship recipients connected directly and shared how scholarships have impacted lives.
A big anniversary calls for an even bigger brand story. Our Office of Marketing & Communications (OMC) rose to the occasion, earning silver-level recognition in the 2025 CUPPIE Awards from the College and University Public Relations Association of Pennsylvania (CUPRAP). The award honored their innovative branding campaign, which featured anniversary logos, outdoor graphics, apparel, a 125th anniversary webpage, social media campaigns, and a suite of digital and print materials. The branding was integrated across signature events—appearing everywhere from lectures and scholarship dinners to the beloved Charter Day tote bag giveaway.
Our 125th anniversary reminded us that milestone years don’t always require brand-new programming—sometimes the most meaningful impact comes from reimagining what already exists. By elevating signature events, aligning them under a unifying brand, and engaging both campus and community partners, we turned ordinary traditions into extraordinary celebrations. For event professionals, it’s a powerful reminder that with creativity, collaboration, and intention, every gathering has the potential to tell a bigger story.