Preparing for Our 250th Anniversary

November 10, 2014

Members of the Rutgers Community,

We are fast approaching Rutgers’ 250th anniversary, which we will celebrate from November 2015 through November 2016. This milestone, which only seven other colleges in America have reached, will be an occasion to show our pride in Rutgers, thank our many supporters, remember our past, and reaffirm the values that have brought us to this moment and will take us forward. The anniversary is a major opportunity for us as well. Working together, we can shine a spotlight on our greatest strengths, build our reputation, support outstanding programs at Rutgers, and celebrate the accomplishments of our faculty, students, alumni, and staff.

Embracing the theme “Revolutionary for 250 Years,” we have been making plans for Rutgers 250 for the past two years. Some long-term projects are already under way. An illustrated history of the University, with authors drawn from our own faculty and staff, is in production and will be in print by fall 2015. You can find more information and order the book at www.RU250.com/book. Professor Paul Clemens has also been preparing a new, updated edition of the Rutgers history that was originally written by his former colleague, legendary Rutgers professor Richard P. McCormick, and published during the University’s bicentennial in 1966.

We are now making plans for a number of signature programs that will be undertaken during the anniversary. A few examples include a “Revolutionary Thinkers” lecture series that will bring game-changing achievers back to Rutgers; a “Rutgers around the World” global event; our anniversary commencement in May 2016; the expansion of Rutgers Day to a systemwide event at all of our universities for April 2016; and a special celebration on our 250th Charter Day on November 10, 2016.

We are also asking you, our faculty, staff, students, and alumni, to consider anniversary themes as you conceive and develop events that will take place during the course of that year. This is a terrific opportunity for the entire University, and Rutgers 250 should be a programmatic priority for all areas of Rutgers during the anniversary year. Most important, we want to know as soon as possible about the programs, events, conferences, special activities, and more that you are planning in connection with the 250th anniversary so we can make sure to include them in outreach and promotional efforts surrounding Rutgers 250. Please feel free to share your anniversary programs and events with Matt Weismantel, senior director of Rutgers 250, at rutgers250@rutgers.edu.

You are also encouraged to make suggestions for the Revolutionary Thinkers lecture series, through which we are inviting back to campus individuals with Rutgers roots who have put forward ideas that have been revolutionary in their fields. The address for these suggestions is revolutionarythinkers(at)rutgers.edu.

We look forward to hearing about the programs that you and your organizations will be undertaking under the “Revolutionary for 250 Years” theme. Your participation in and support for our planning will ensure that we make our milestone anniversary memorable and rewarding.

Sincerely,

Bob Barchi