A Milestone Worth Celebrating

In the summer of 1865, Asa Packer—entrepreneur, industrialist and philanthropist—made good on his promise to give back to the region that had given him so much. He founded Lehigh University with the hope that the university would provide the young people of the Lehigh Valley with the knowledge to succeed in a fast-changing world.

A century and a half later, the Lehigh community is getting ready to celebrate not only Packer’s great vision, but also what the university he built has become—and where it’s headed in the years to come.

This October figures to be one of the most exciting in Lehigh history, as students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends will kick off a year of celebration commemorating the university’s Sesquicentennial. From Thursday, Oct. 1, through Sunday, Oct. 4, Lehigh’s campus will come to life with a series of events, from the formal installation of John D. Simon as president to a weekend-long 150th block party to the dedication of the newly renovated Williams Hall and more.

The celeberations will begin on Oct. 1 with the kickoff 150th block party, which will take place at locations on and around campus and will include a student talent show, academic events, guest speakers, concerts, a farmer’s market and more. That same day, the university will formally rename Campus Square in honor of Gregory C. Farrington, who served as president from 1998 through 2006 and made great strides in building stronger bonds between Lehigh and its community. The next day, the campus community will gather for the annual Founder’s Day celebration, which this year will be made all the more special as Simon is officially installed into office as Lehigh’s 14th president. A community parade will follow, along with a campus-wide birthday party featuring food, entertain-ment and a light show.

Saturday, Oct. 3, will feature a packed schedule—from the Williams Hall dedication to a special Homecoming tailgate to the Mountain Hawks’ big showdown against Yale—while Sunday will see the block party reach a fever pitch with concerts, lectures, art exhibits and more happening all throughout campus and South Bethlehem. 

Even more events are being planned for the weekend-long celebration, and additional gatherings will be held at Lehigh and elsewhere throughout the remainder of the year. To keep up to date with the latest schedule, and to find information on tickets and more, visit  lehigh.edu/150.