Sesquicentennial Grants
To mark Macalester’s sesquicentennial, we asked our campus community for help coming up with ways to celebrate. With funding from President Rivera, seven projects were awarded grants to mark the 150th in all sorts of creative ways: planting trees, student artwork, a radio show showcasing bands that got their start at Mac, beekeeping and printmaking at the Ordway Fieldstation, and more! Special thanks to our grant selection committee, and to the project teams for making the year so special: A Living History of the Macalester Student Body; Macalester’s 150 Year Installation; Bands@Mac; Community Fe(a)st; Ordway County Fair: Making and sharing memories at Macalester’s other campus; Macalester’s 150th Anni-fir-sary: Arboricultural beautification and educational inventory of Macalester Campus’ stunning standing stems; and Reshaping History: Macalester’s Journey Towards Social Justice and Inclusion.
A Living History of the Macalester Student Body
In February, we celebrated the stories, traditions, and quirks of the Macalester student body at an event with hands-on activities and mini-history lessons about different Macalester student traditions, events, or humorous things that happened on campus.
Macalester’s 150 Year Installation
The Macalester installation was unveiled at Commencement in May. It serves as more than just a work of art; it is a vehicle for the Macalester community to reflect on this institution’s history and values, as well as an engaging photo-op for campus visitors.
Bands@Mac
During Reunion in May and later in the fall, this project highlighted bands and individual artists who got their start at Macalester—including Hüsker Dü, Sounds of Blackness, R.E.M., and Bad Bad Hats—culminating in a playlist that chronicles the earliest recording in the archives up to the most recent student band.
Community Fe(a)st
Our community was welcomed to a communal meal after Opening Convocation in September, featuring academic departments, resource partners, student organizations, and clubs. Participants were invited to share an icon that illustrates their role and history at Macalester.
Ordway County Fair: Making and sharing memories at Macalester’s other campus
A special sesquicentennial Ordway County Fair was hosted at our field station in September, featuring a petting zoo, scavenger hunts, trail walks, food trucks, art activities, beekeeping, and more.
Macalester’s 150th Anni-fir-sary: Arboricultural beautification and educational inventory of Macalester Campus’ stunning standing stems
In October, we marked the sesquicentennial with the creation of a comprehensive campus tree inventory, the development of a historical research exposition about the Mac-Groveland urban forest, and the planting of fifteen new trees.
Reshaping History: Macalester’s Journey Towards Social Justice and Inclusion
In late November, this event featured an archival poster exhibition and a panel discussion with alumni and current BIPOC students to reflect upon the struggles and triumphs of various communities within Macalester.
Sounds of Blackness
1969: Black Voices, a musical ensemble, is founded by Russell Knighton ’72. It is later renamed Sounds of Blackness. Led by Gary Hines ’74, the ensemble goes on to win three Grammy Awards and still performs around the world today.