March 15, 2026
39 moments from Founders’ Week
The official anniversary of Lafayette’s founding may have been on 3/9, but that didn’t stop us from celebrating all week long.
From art and music to speakers, exhibitions, and even an appearance from the Marquis, Founders’ Week reminded our community of what makes us special.
Video by Olivia Giralico
“In this, our bicentennial year, it was a priority to take everything our community loves about Founders’ Day and extend those moments of celebration and gratitude throughout the week,” says President Nicole Hurd. “Whether you were on campus or joining one of our regional gatherings, these events engaged our history, embraced the current moment, and set a course for our third century. I am so thankful for all those who came to campus, sponsored events, shared their knowledge, and brought the love and energy that make Lafayette such a special community.”
We’ve curated 39 of our favorite moments from the week that showcase the history of 3/9, the energy of Founders’ Week, and the legacy of 200 years of excellence!
1. Founders’ Week kicked off just as the spring weather arrived in Easton, bringing days of warmer temperatures and the much-missed sunshine.
2. In celebration of Founders’ Week, the Northampton Street Bridge in Easton spent the weekend lit up in Lafayette maroon.
Photo by Alfred Greenbaum
3. Kicking off the festivities in February, the campus and Easton community was treated to the world premiere of The Language of Sight, a new play by Judy Tate that celebrates Lafayette’s first Black graduate. After the first preview performance at the Williams Center for the Arts, a reception was held in the lobby.
4. Throughout the country and the world, Lafayette alumni, friends, and families gathered for 200 Years, 200 Cheers regional events—26 locations in all, from the Lehigh Valley to Singapore.
5. During these events, guests were asked to share a memory, piece of memorabilia, or a single word that captures what Lafayette means to them. These postcards will soon be returned to campus to be shared throughout the Bicentennial!
6. Patrick Hanrahan ‘24 attended the 200 Years, 200 Cheers: Lehigh Valley event. Continuing to engage with Lafayette has been an important part of his path after college: “Being a part of the Lafayette community means a lot to me. During my senior year, I was able to work with my best friends on a year-long engineering project designing a remote control plane. Also, I have fostered important and continued relationships with my professors who continue to support me post-grad.”
7. On March 6, students attended “Building Connections: The Art of Professional Mingling,” learning tips and tricks to further their career skills, sponsored by the Council of Lafayette Women.
“Building Connections: The Art of Professional Mingling” | Photo by JaQuan Alston
8. On March 7, the Conference of the Council of Lafayette Women offered students, alumni, and friends the opportunity to connect, build lasting relationships, and grow as Lafayette women.
9. Breakout sessions during the Conference covered everything from film, LGBTQIA+ history, and finance to wellness, writing, and career advice.
10. Susan Fox ’88, executive vice president and head of U.S. government relations at The Walt Disney Co., and vice chair of the College’s Board of Trustees, delivered the keynote address, titled “Lessons I’ve Learned, from Women Who Matter.”
11. Conference attendees and more attended a panel discussion in Colton Chapel titled “The Making of Adrienne,” featuring many key participants in the journey of the bust of Adrienne Françoise de Noailles, the wife of the Marquis and an activist in her own right. The bust, the last major work of the late artist Audrey Flack, finally brings the Lafayettes together on the campus bearing their name.
12. At the conclusion of the Conference, eyes turned to the Bicentennial Art Commission to dedicate the statue of Adrienne on the steps of Skillman Library.
13. Adrienne sat under a maroon cloth, and was finally unveiled by President Hurd and Student Government President Allie Waxman ’28. “This is a historic moment for the College. Our landscape will change forevermore with the addition of this exceptional woman,” said Hurd.
14. “I feel that here we are channeling Audrey’s spirit, just as she channeled the spirit of Adrienne. Audrey wished for the sculpture to speak to the entire community and inspire them with the arts, and particularly for the women at Lafayette and this great, great history of women at Lafayette,” said Robert Mattison, Metzgar Professor of Art History Emeritus during the panel discussion.
15. Seeing Adrienne come to life reminded us that from inception to installation, the making of this work has been a story of true collaboration and inspiration.
16. Adrienne took her place outside Skillman Library, where she will be a permanent fixture of the campus community for centuries to come.
Adrienne | Photo by Ashli Truchon Novak
17. Lafayette hosted a special guest Consul General of France Caroline Monvoisin for a luncheon celebrating the heritage of our namesake and the nation of France.
18. Monvoisin joined Elaine Stomber ’89, P’17,’21, co-director of Special Collections & College Archives and College archivist, and others for an exclusive tour of the College’s unique collection of artifacts, such as Lafayette’s letters to George Washington.
19. Party time! 3/9 kicked off in style with the Founders’ Day community celebration as students packed the Quad and Farinon to participate in a slate of events.
20. The Marquis de Lafayette, played by renowned historical interpreter Mark Schneider, made an entrance in a big way—on a rich brown horse, reminiscent of the days of the Revolution!
The Marquis enters | Photo by Ashli Truchon Novak
21. On the steps of Farinon, the “Marquis” reminded us all that “the greatest victories in life are not won upon any battlefield, but rather knowledge over ignorance.”
22. The Marquis read the College’s charter aloud, a cherished Founders’ Day tradition performed by many throughout the years.
23. This was the Founders’ Day community celebration we know and love…but Bicentennialized! Students enjoyed cupcakes and charcuterie, socialized, and celebrated Lafayette’s long history.
24. Record scratch! Students, faculty, and staff got to witness the special premiere of the new “Bicentennial Anthem,” a Hamilton-style piece written and produced by Teo Rodriguez ’24 and Will Shelton ’23. This project was funded with a Bicentennial Academic Grant and was assisted by Prof. Mary Jo Lodge, Hanson Center Director Wendy Hill, and Stomber.
25. Rodriguez performed the rap to a packed Farinon during the community celebration, even getting the audience involved in some call and response.
Teo Rodriguez ’24 performs the Bicentennial anthem | Photo by Ashli Truchon Novak
26. “It is inspiring to see our community engaging with our bicentennial in a way that feels so authentic and joyful,” said President Hurd of the anthem. “This project is a perfect example not only of the power of creativity and mentorship, but also of blazing new traditions and memories that are carrying us into our third century.”
27. Talk about access! Our community was able to sit in on an interview with the Marquis himself (Schneider, in perfect character).
28. The interview was facilitated by Dr. Iris De Rode, historian of the French role in the American Revolution. Dr. De Rode was recently featured in the Ken Burns PBS docuseries The American Revolution, a project that featured numerous works from the Lafayette archives.
29. President Hurd gifted the Marquis a framed triptych of campus, a version of which also hangs in her office, so he can always remember the campus that bears his name.
An interview with the Marquis de Lafayette | Photo by Ashli Truchon Novak
30. It wouldn’t be the Bicentennial without a historical deep-dive! We got just that with “A Bicentennial History from the Lafayette College Archives,” presented by Stomber. From Lafayette’s initial Farewell Tour that inspired the citizens of Easton to celebrating 200 years of excellence in 2026, the College has a rich and storied history that helps inform what it is today.
A Bicentennial History from the Lafayette College Archives | Photo by Ashli Truchon Novak
31. Izzy Sorrells ’23 brought her artistic flair to Farinon, installing interactive canvases featuring everyone’s favorite Lafayette landmarks that will join together as a mural celebrating the fabric of Lafayette.
32. Students were encouraged to add their own mark to the painting, filling in bright colors on everything from the Quad’s Adirondack chairs to a Lafayette football helmet.
Students participate in the mural painting designed by Izzy Sorrells ’23 | Photo by Ashli Truchon Novak
33. The final piece will be a lasting memory of the Bicentennial and the ways every member of the community has made an impact.
34. Set up in Farinon over the lunch hour, students, faculty, and staff alike participated in 200 Years of Gratitude—200 Notes, Endless Thanks on March 11. Participants wrote notes of thanks to someone who has made a difference in their Lafayette experience, illustrating the spirit of appreciation so integral to our community—eventually achieving the goal of 200 notes sent!
35. But the fun didn’t stop there! While the gratitude flowed, attendees enjoyed a photo booth, a raffle, and special Bicentennial-themed ice cream flavors from local shop Owowcow.
36. The community learned about the Marquis’s commitment to the cause of human rights from Lloyd Kramer, professor emeritus of history, UNC–Chapel Hill, and how those ideals reflect the values of the College that bears his name during “Lafayette and the Struggle for Human Rights.”
“Lafayette and the Struggle for Human Rights” | Photo by Ashli Truchon Novak
37. Prof. Kramer’s talk reminded us of the lasting legacy of the Marquis’s approach to politics. Lin-Manuel Miranda, on campus for the Jones Visiting Lecture, even mentioned that Lafayette was “ahead of the curve” on issues like abolition and human rights, making him a compelling character for his musical Hamilton.
38. Students from A&S 320: Lenape Homelands and Lafayette: How a College Got Its Land presented a Lunch & Learn titled “Mapping Lafayette,” where they presented original research and a digital archive they created to trace land parcels back to their original purchases.
“Mapping Lafayette” | Photo by Ashli Truchon Novak
39. And finally, to wrap the festivities… we look forward to the newly named Founders’ Day Speaker, Bill Nye!
Categorized in: Alumni, Bicentennial, Campus life, Celebrating Women, Community, Featured News, News and Features, Skillman Library, Students, Theater