Sept. 2 marked the start of the University’s 150th year, but the festivities began a little early.

Truman is in the middle of a celebration of its sesquicentennial, which officially started July 1, 2017 and will conclude in May 2018. Since late summer, reminders of the anniversary have been popping up all over Kirksville, including on the street banners surrounding campus and the doors of most buildings. The 150 logo can be found on a number of T-shirts and memorabilia as well.

A back-to-school bash in August was the first campus celebration. Students, faculty and staff marked the start of the school year with games and live music on the quad, along with a 150th birthday cake. September saw Truman host a community event in conjunction with A.T. Still University, in the midst of its own 125th anniversary, and the city of Kirksville, which is celebrating 175 years.

Special events at Homecoming included ribbon cutting ceremonies for the newly reopened Baldwin Hall and improvements to the track, field and press box at Stokes Stadium. A concert featuring alumni bands was also scheduled during the weekend.

Students graduating this year will have the inside of their diploma cover adorned with an embossed, gold foil sticker of the 150th logo, and the Alumni Office will be giving them sesquicentennial T-shirts to mark the milestone.

During the school year, the weekly Truman Today newsletter has included small stories revisiting historical moments and bits of trivia from the University’s first 150 years. The archived stories can be found at 150.truman.edu/memories, and the most recent issue can be found at trumantoday.truman.edu.