Happy birthday, UNC: University Day celebrates 225 years with 10 events over three days

University Day is on the horizon once again, and this year, the oldest public university in the United States has some extra treats in store. From waffles and cookies to receptions and concerts, this year offers an array of events to get everyone involved in celebrating the 225th anniversary of UNC.

The University Day ceremony will be held Oct. 12 at 10 a.m. in Memorial Hall, and classes will be canceled from 9:05 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. Executive Vice Provost and Chief International Officer Ronald Strauss said the ceremony is the main event and will have speakers and a video, among other proceedings. 

There are many events leading up to the ceremony, including a performance by the UNC Symphony Orchestra on Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. that has been added to the event list for the first time this year. Music director and conductor of the ensemble Tonu Kalam said it was because of a coincidence in scheduling around the time of University Day that the concert was integrated into the celebrations.

Despite losing two practices to the cancellations caused by Hurricane Florence, Kalam said the orchestra still managed to come together successfully. He said how excited both he and the ensemble are for their performance.

“I’ve been gratified by how well things have come together,” Kalam said. “There’s always a sense of energy on the stage when you get up there. You see there are people out there, wanting to hear what you’re doing and can see the benefits of your work and performance.”

For Kalam, University Day is meant to commemorate the creation of the school and have everyone who is a part of the University reflect on its value. 

“It’s a special day to celebrate the birth of one of the great universities in the nation  — the first public university and still one of the strongest academically and culturally,” Kalam said. “I think we all want to appreciate each other, and I think appreciating the University as a whole and then appreciating the various constituencies that interact is a big part of that.”

The Order of the Bell Tower, a group that is part of the UNC General Alumni Association, was planning to host both the lighting of the Bell Tower on Oct. 11 at 9 p.m. and Waffles at Wilson on Oct. 12 from 7:30 to 10 a.m., before the University Day ceremony. 

Due to predicted heavy rainfall on Oct. 11, the University canceled the lighting of the Bell Tower ceremony. 

Keshav Ramireddy, a true blue coordinator for the Order of the Bell Tower, said the group appreciates the festive nature of the school holiday. 

“University Day is really special to us because of how amazing it is to be able to celebrate Chapel Hill’s — pretty much — birthday,” Ramireddy said. “It’s like one of our best friends’ birthdays.” 

The other events include the Bridge Builders reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 11; cookies and music in the pit from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 12; volleyball and football games on Oct. 12 and 13, respectively, and an open invitation to Late Night with Roy at the Smith Center Oct.12 at 4 p.m.

The event is important to the University in more ways than one. Strauss said University Day is intended to get people thinking about the past 225 years of the University’s history and what's in store for years to come. 

As for the future, Strauss said the University has ambitions to become more interdisciplinary and work on further incorporating students and staff into the University’s development. 

“We really take a moment to look back at our dedication as a truly public university,” Strauss said. “It’s also to think about what is our legacy in terms of attracting students of all different social and economic roots.”

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