The energy was high and campus buzzed with excitement as Krentzman Quad, adorned with red, white and black decorations, filled with students and blared music. Tuesday, Oct. 3 marked the 125th anniversary of the founding of Northeastern University, and the student body celebrated accordingly.
The daylong birthday celebration, hosted by the university, included a speech from President Joseph E. Aoun, a collaborative musical performance from student arts groups and activities around campus.
Global Northeastern campuses including Oakland, California and London also held celebrations to commemorate the monumental day.
The international celebration intended to inform and inspire students, according to an open letter shared with the Northeastern community earlier this semester.
“As we celebrate throughout this year and across the world, the power of experience will continue to connect us and drive us forward,” the statement attributed to Aoun said. “It will continue to encourage us to learn from each other. And it will continue to inspire us to build a better world now and into the future.”
The landmark year recognizes over a century of growth for the university. Northeastern was established in the Back Bay area in 1898, relocating to its current location on Huntington Avenue in 1913. Three years later, it was integrated into and established as Northeastern College and gained university status in 1922. The university remained a commuter school until it was rebranded after the completion of the West Village residence halls in 2006, according to a timeline chronicling the history of the Boston campus. In the years since Northeastern ahs introduced global initiatives, establishing more than a dozen satellite campuses across the world.
The celebration kicked off on Krentzman Quad as Aoun welcomed students and faculty.
“We are here because we want to thank everyone who preceded us, who built this magnificent university and we are here to pledge that we will continue to build a great university that is going to have an enormous impact and change the world,” Aoun said.
Following his speech, students were invited to join together in singing happy birthday to the university. Northeastern performing groups also collaborated to prepare a celebratory performance as campus a capella and dance groups, as well as the cheer team, joined together for a Northeastern-themed rendition of both Deniece Williams’ Let’s Hear It for the Boy and Stevie Wonder’s Happy Birthday to You.
“I was so excited to be invited to be a part of it. I’ve never done anything like this before so I was excited to try something new,” said first-year public relations major Kristin Merril, and a member of the NU Choral Society, who performed at the celebration. “The crowd was great, it was good to see so many students come out and support.”
Following the performance, students were encouraged to participate in pop-up activities set up across campus. Stations included screen printing t-shirts with 125th anniversary designs, Boston-themed trivia, photo opportunities and an interactive university history mural.
The celebration continued throughout the day with student performances on Centennial Common. Student musicians Vi, Madison Bequer and Hongjoi took the stage for an early afternoon concert. Students filled Centennial, listening to the music and relishing in the celebratory atmosphere.
Though the festivities concluded, Northeastern cemented its historical significance as Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed a statewide proclamation officially declaring Oct. 3 as Northeastern University Founders Day.
“The university’s investments in entrepreneurship, women’s empowerment, civic engagement, public art and sustainability have made an extraordinary contribution to the economic and social fabric of the City of Boston and to the Commonwealth, and are a credit to the 300,000 Northeastern alumni living, working, and making a difference in communities around the globe,” Healey’s proclamation read.
