Sesquicentennial Celebration collection
Creator: University of Rochester
Call Number: UA284
Dates: 2000
Physical Description: 3.31 Cubic feet
Language(s): Materials are in English
Repository: University of Rochester Archives

Table of Contents:

Biographical/Historical Note
Scope and Content
Subject(s)
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Access
Use
Citation
Content List
Series I: Three-dimensional objects
Series II: Books and video recordings
Series III: Subject files
Series IV: Binders
Collection Overview
Title: Sesquicentennial Celebration collection
Creator: University of Rochester
Call Number: UA284
Dates: 2000
Physical Description: 3.31 Cubic feet
Language(s): Materials are in English
Repository: University of Rochester Archives

Biographical/Historical Note
Founded in 1850, the University of Rochester marked its 150th anniversary in the year 2000. The occasion "represented a once in a lifetime opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of the University and its faculty and, in the process, to enhance its image among its many constituents." The year-long commemoration was the result of the most comprehensive and creative marketing campaign in University of Rochester history. Key elements included the limited edition pictorial history book Beside the Genesee and a day-by-day desk calendar sent to over 43,000 alumni and friends. A special logo featuring a birthday candle and the University's motto Meliora ("Ever Better") adorned many posters, publications, mailings, and other ephemeral items.

The highlight of the anniversary year was the first Meliora Weekend, held from October 12-15, 2000. Also called Sesquicentennial Weekend, the four-day festivities included class reunions, discussion panels, lectures, home games, luncheons, musical performances, department open houses, and a twenty-minute fireworks display over the River Campus. Prominent guests and speakers included political satirist Mark Russell, actor Robert Duvall, NASA chief Dan Goldin, and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. Also present were many prominent alumni such as Harvard Law professor and ABC news commentator Arthur Miller '56, Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Barry Miller '64, and Nobel Laureate Stephen Chu '70, who went on to become Secretary of Energy under President Obama. Altogether, some 7,800 people attended over 109 programs and activities carefully balanced between academia and entertainment.

In addition to the main Sesquicentennial Weekend, twenty-two smaller celebrations were held throughout the country from November 1999 to September 2000 for those unable to visit Rochester in October. The total attendance of 2,600 exceeded all regional goals and marked a 119% increase in participation from all past events.

By all accounts, the Sesquicentennial was a momentous turning point in the history of the University of Rochester. Two years of intense planning and preparation left behind a large pool of volunteers happy to take on future events and created new fundraising offices targeting different groups within the UR community. Most importantly, Meliora Weekend - an incorporation of Reunion, Family Weekend, Homecoming, and Regatta - was established as a new annual tradition that keeps alumni connected with their alma mater and promotes school pride. Overall, the Sesquicentennial raised the bar and set a new standard for all future celebrations at the University of Rochester.

Scope and Content
The collection contains numerous museum objects, publications, and ephemera related mostly to Sesquicentennial Weekend.

The binder "An Archive of Sesquicentennial Marketing Materials" contains Internet print-outs, publications, stationary, ephemera, and mailings.

Subject(s):
New York (State)--Rochester
Anniversaries
Universities and colleges
University of Rochester
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Much of the University of Rochester Sesquicentennial Collection was gathered by the University Archives during the festivities. Additional material was received in May 2001 from Margaret Bond in Public Relations; from Mary Jo Ferr, Director Sesquicentennial and Reunion Operations; and from Joseph P. Mack, Trustee Chairman of the Sesquicentennial.Access
For access to this collection, please contact the University of Rochester Archives (archives@library.rochester.edu) at least two business days prior to your planned visit.

Please note: Some materials may be restricted or require permission for use.

Use
To request reproductions or permission to publish materials from the collection, please contact the University of Rochester Archives (archives@library.rochester.edu). Researchers may be responsible for determining any copyright questions.



Citation
[Item title, item date], Sesquicentennial Celebration collection, UA284, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester
Administrative Information
Author: Eileen L. Fay
Publisher: University of Rochester Archives
Address: Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation
River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester
500 Joseph C. Wilson Blvd.
Rochester, New York 14627-0055
archives@library.rochester.edu

Finding aid publication date: May 2012
Content List