By Mia Gallagher · Celebrate 150 Correspondent
Grove City College, it’s time to party like it’s 1876!
The college’s 150th anniversary has arrived at last, and such an occasion calls for a birthday celebration sure to be an absolute blast.
From its humble founding as the Select School at Pine Grove on April 11, 1876, to its official christening as Grove City College on Nov. 21, 1884, to its monumental stand for faith and freedom at the Supreme Court on Feb. 28, 1984, Grove City College’s commitment to education and excellence defines its 150-year history.
“It’s so easy for us to be focused on our own world today, and as students, our future,” Melissa MacLeod, senior director of alumni and college relations, said. “But I strongly believe that understanding our past, learning from our past and understanding that we are part of a community, past, present and future, is so important. I encourage students to take the time to read, participate and share in this year-long celebration.”
MacLeod has been working with campus leaders and organizations since mid-2024 to devise a celebration worthy of the college’s legacy.
“We want our campus to help us find ways to celebrate our history in everything that is done this year,” MacLeod said. “You’ll begin to see more and more popping up on campus visually.”
According to MacLeod, the sesquicentennial festivities will begin as early as February with the launch of a virtual history tour of campus. From there, the college will hold a formal inauguration for its 10th president, Bradley J. Lingo, on March 19. A Celebrate 150 reception and concert in Pittsburgh, Pa. on March 20, will follow.
In reflecting on his impending inauguration, Lingo acknowledged the serendipity of this occasion and his optimism for the time of reflection it brings with it.
“It feels like coming home at exactly the right moment. I think of this season as a kind of vow renewal for the college,” Lingo said. “It’s an occasion to remember why we were founded, to celebrate God’s faithfulness and to recommit ourselves to the values that make Grove City what it is.
“It’s also an opportunity to look forward and think about how to strengthen the college for the next 150 years. This new season of leadership is the perfect time to both renew our historic commitments and to dream about our future.”
Following these formal festivities, the college will host an on-campus birthday party on April 10 to coincide with the 1876 founding date (as Gala will take place on the official birthday, April 11, the following day). While plans for the event have yet to be finalized, cake will certainly be part of the equation.
The year-long celebration will culminate with the celebration of Homecoming 2026, which happens to be the 100th anniversary of this beloved tradition as well.
According to Director of College Archives and Galleries Hilary Walczak, the college has a long history of marking anniversaries.
“If you look through the archive, Isaac Ketler and the founders were the ones who settled on the date and when to celebrate,” Walczak said. “They did so pretty early on, celebrating founders’ day on April 11 every year, and did so even after the name change.”
“As the college grew older and the student body larger, they focused on milestone celebrations and ebrations,” Walczak said. “We do have record celebrations on the 50th, 75th and 100th celebrations — the last of which was tied in with the bicentennial of the U.S. The 125th was probably the largest thus far and included various lecture series, events across the country and campus-wide branding and marketing for the events.”
With so many readily available opportunities for engagement — including a special anniversary story series here in The Collegian — it’s an exciting time to be a member of the Grove City College community. To stay up to date on all things anniversary-related, be sure to visit the Celebrate 150 website at gcc.edu/Celebrate-150.
“This anniversary isn’t just something happening around you. You’re part of it, and your story is part of the college’s story. Celebrate the traditions, show up to the events and lean into the community that makes Grove City special,” Lingo said. “Before you know it, you’ll be the one looking back and telling future students why your time here mattered. So, make some memories that you can pass on when we celebrate 175 and 200.”
