March 12, 2025
Cheers to 199 years: Lafayette community marks Founders’ Day
Members of the campus community celebrated Founders’ Day on March 11.
Farinon College Center was bustling on March 11 as the on-campus community celebrated the College’s founding. Members of the Lafayette Student Alumni Council (LSAC) were available to hand out Lafayette-themed ice cream flavors from Owowcow, including “Marquis Marshmallow” and “The Gilbert on Top,” made possible by the President’s Office. Throughout the day, students had the opportunity to participate in a history-themed scavenger hunt with a chance to win prizes. Participants also signed a commemorative “199 Years and Counting” banner and posed for photos. The highlight of the event was the reading of the original College charter by LSAC co-president Chris Taverner ’25 dressed as Marquis de Lafayette.
But the celebration wasn’t just confined to campus—across the country, Lafayette alumni gathered at 22 Wine and Dine 3/9 events to raise a toast to their alma mater, bridging past and present with stories of their time on College Hill.
The festivities honored a momentous occasion nearly two centuries in the making. On March 9, 1826, the citizens of Easton received a charter signed by Pennsylvania Gov. John Andrew Shulze establishing Lafayette College. In 2026, the College will celebrate its bicentennial, which will kick off during Fall Weekend, Sept. 26-28.
