Assumption College’s Centennial Celebration Update
May 21, 2003
Assumption College’s
Centennial Celebration Update
Worcester, MA – Assumption College is proud to announce the following events
to commemorate its 100th birthday.
The official Centennial Celebration is scheduled for June 2003 – December
2004, with the theme: “The Learning Relationship.” Next month, 50
banners will be hung along Salisbury Street and around the loop road on campus.
Various events will take place to remember the 100th birthday of the school.
The Centennial Steering Committee, charged with overseeing the College’s
Centennial, or one hundredth year, Celebration has worked with its various subcommittees
over the past two years to craft a dynamic and intellectually stimulating series
of events and projects to honor the Centennial.
Although there are still a few guest lecturers to be finalized, the following
events have all been set:
June 7th (2pm) and 9th (1pm): A slide show and presentation discussing the June
9, 1953 tornado which devastated Assumption’s Greendale campus. Presenters
include Bro. Armand Lemaire, A.A., and Ken Moynihan, Professor of History. Saturday
the 7th is open to Assumption College Reunion attendees and the general public;
Monday the 9th will be for the Assumption College community only and will include
a light lunch.
June 9 at 12 Noon: Memorial mass in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit to honor the
many victims of the tornado.
June 9 at 5pm: Ecumenical Service at Quinsigamond Community College coordinated
by Assumption College.
September 17, 2003: Centennial Convocation with guest speaker Dr. George Dennis
O’Brien. Dr. O’Brien was the twelfth President of Bucknell University
and eighth President of the University of Rochester. He is also the author of
several books, including his most recent: The Idea of a Catholic University.
September 20, 2003: International Festival to celebrate Assumption’s international
history. A family oriented day, Saturday activities planned include international
music and foods, a casino night and hopefully, fireworks.
Note: The dedication of the new Science Center, though not officially a Centennial
event, will be scheduled for September; a date has not been finalized yet.
October 16, 2003: The Centennial Distinguished Lecture Series presents Jane
Elliott. Elliott, a former teacher from Iowa, has committed herself to leading
a fight against racial ignorance in society. She is famous for creating the
"Blue Eyes, Brown Eyes" project in her fourth-grade classroom in all-white,
all-Christian Riceville, Iowa, immediately after the assassination of Martin
Luther King Jr. (Co-sponsored by the SGA)
October 25 and 26, 2003: As part of the Centennial Celebration, Assumption College
has partnered with Worcester Parks and Recreation and the Poet Hill neighborhood,
located off of Grove Street. The partnership, involving the Reach Out Center,
Community Service Learning Program and d’Alzon Artists Series, involves
financial and in-kind support for a new playground. While site work will be
done in advance, the actual construction of the playground is scheduled for
Saturday the 25th, followed by a dedication on Sunday the 26th.
December 1, 2003: The Centennial Distinguished Lecture Series presents Stanley
Hauerwas. Dr Hauerwas, the Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics at
Duke Divinity School is a renowned Christian pacifist and ethicist. (Co-sponsored
by the Peace Studies Committee.)
December 12, 2003: Christmas Concert (Chapel of the Holy Spirit) and President’s
Reception.
January 31, 2004: Athletics banquet to honor past Desautel award recipients.
The award recognizes the senior premier student athlete. The banquet will follow
the home basketball game.
April 15, 2004: Centennial Distinguished Lecture Series presents Joy Williams.
Williams is the author of four novels, two short story collections, and a history
of the Florida Keys. Her latest novel, The Quick and the Dead, was a finalist
for the Pulitzer Prize in 2000. Her book, Ill Nature: Rants and Reflections
on Humanity and Other Animals, a collection of nineteen essays, will be part
of First Year Student Orientation and will be used for some classes in the fall
and spring.
October 1, 2004: Founder’s Day. This day, with specific activities yet
to be finalized, will mark the actual start of classes at the original campus
when Assumption was founded as an ‘alumnate.’
October 6, 2004: Centennial Distinguished Lecture Series presents President
Mary Robinson. Robinson was elected the first female and seventh President of
Ireland in 1990 and served for seven years. In 1997, she was appointed the UN
High Commissioner for Human Rights. An outspoken champion of the oppressed,
Robinson has challenged the governments of nations large and small with her
uncompromising criticism of their human rights records. (Co-sponsored by the
Women’s Studies Program.)
December 11, 2004: Centennial Dinner/Dance at the Centrum Centre to wrap-up
the 19-month celebration.
Special events are just one component of the celebration. Other noteworthy items
include:
Prof. Ken Moynihan is near completion of his book on the history of Assumption
College; the book will be available in 2004.
A 12-month, four-color calendar for 2004 will be mailed to over 21,000 alumni,
employees and friends of the College. The calendar depicts Assumption through
the years.
Centennial Web pages are under construction and will be posted this June.
One other partnership that has evolved is with the Literacy Volunteers of Greater
Worcester (LVGW). Headed by Allison Budds ’94, LVGW provides volunteer
services for adults lacking necessary literacy skills. As part of this partnership,
Assumption will support the purchase of three computers and workstations. We
will also send a team to participate in the 2003 Scrabble Tournament fundraiser,
with the intention of hosting the tournament in 2004.
For any additional information regarding an event or the Centennial Celebration,
contact the Office of Public Affairs at (508) 767-7160.
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