Webster University to kick off centennial celebration
ST. LOUIS – Webster University will celebrate 100 years of achievement with a yearlong series of free public events, beginning this week.
The kick-off event for the centennial will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19, in downtown St. Louis’s Old Post Office Plaza. The street party will feature a live concert by Webster alumni Erin Bode and Samba Bom, food trucks, street chess and hoops, and other activities. Webster’s mascot, the Gorlok, will be on hand with a contingent of celebrity mascots to entertain attendees.
The party continues that evening with a Homecoming “Garden Glow” wine tasting and beer garden event in the Anheuser-Busch Rain Garden on the Webster University campus. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., the east side of Webster’s East Academic Building, located at 545 Garden Ave, will be illuminated with lanterns and lights.
The public is invited to enjoy wine from Garland Wines in Webster Groves and beer from Anheuser-Busch.
“Webster’s centennial is an opportunity to honor the forward-thinking leaders who have come before us,” said Stroble (shown above). “We will celebrate their success in building a foundation of global academic excellence that fosters dialogue, and understanding across boundaries and between people. Throughout the year, we will celebrate how far Webster has come in the last century and envision what lies ahead for the university in the next 100 years.”
“It is truly remarkable to reflect on the history of Webster University and its transformation from a small Catholic women’s college with five students in 1915 into today’s thriving comprehensive university,” said Elizabeth Robb, a 1965 Webster alumna who is serving as chair of Webster’s Centennial Committee. “Our centennial will celebrate not only our past, but our present and future as well, by showcasing Webster’s undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional programs; our more than 20,000 students; and more than 170,000 alumni with special centennial-themed events at Webster’s campus locations on four continents, eight countries, 60 cities and 40 military installations around the world.”
In addition to the Sept. 19 kickoff event, other activities planned throughout Webster’s 2014-2015 centennial anniversary year include:
• “Garden Glow” wine tasting and beer garden event in the Anheuser-Busch Rain Garden on the Webster University campus in Webster Groves at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 19
• A “Century through Film” series highlighting 100 years of cinema, with award-winning films that capture decades, define generations and evoke nostalgia.
• A “Talks of the Century” faculty lecture series of engaging intellectual presentations on topics from various academic disciplines.
• A worldwide “Toys for Tots” campaign at all Webster campus locations during November and December 2014.
• A “Stars Come Home” and time-capsule installation event as part of Webster’s 2015 homecoming weekend festivities.
• Centennial Grand Finale, open house and gala events to close the celebration in November 2015.
More detailed information on all Webster University centennial events can be found online at 100.webster.edu.
About Webster University
With its home campus in St. Louis, Webster University (www.webster.edu) calls itself the only Tier 1, private, non-profit U.S.-based university providing a network of international residential campuses and a robust online learning program. Founded in 1915, Webster University’s campus network today includes metropolitan, military and corporate locations around the world, as well as traditional campuses in Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa.
