Next year, Kenyon will turn 200 with celebrations and events throughout the year. Among these will be a scavenger hunt recognizing the role of estate gifts in supporting Kenyon, a reading by some of Kenyon’s celebrated alumni poets, and a day filling all corners of campus with music.
These three projects were the first to be awarded special project grants by the Bicentennial Advisory Committee.
“We were really excited by the thoughtfulness of the submissions we received,” said Howard Grier, director of campus events and a bicentennial tri-chair. “We look forward to announcing the next round of awards in the coming weeks and hope these will encourage others to think about how they might join in celebrating our birthday next year.”
The projects awarded funding were:
Sounding Out Our Campus
Proposed by: James D. & Cornelia W. Ireland Associate Professor of Music Ross Feller
The Sounding Out Our Campus project will feature simultaneous musical performances around campus in Spring 2024. Kenyon’s music program students will be asked to create original performance pieces for this event. The project will pay homage to Kenyon’s 200 years of rich musical history and celebrate the music department’s 75th anniversary.
Kenyon Poetry Legacy Committee Reading
Proposed by: Wade Newman ’78
Inspired by his time leading the Kenyon Poetry Society as a student, Newman plans to invite at least three alumni poets to share their work with the community at a reading during Reunion Weekend 2024. The committee appreciated the opportunity to share Kenyon’s established poetry tradition with alumni. The grant will cover the speakers’ travel and lodging.
Marriott Park Scavenger Hunt
Proposed by: Office of Planned Giving
The scavenger hunt was a hit during Homecoming in September. With this grant, the office can recreate it in 2024 for alumni at Reunion Weekend and for the campus community at Homecoming. The hunt takes up to 45 minutes and covers roughly 1.35 miles, mostly in the area of campus between the Middle Path gates and Old Kenyon, which is formally known as Marriott Park. Each of the stops on the hunt serves as an opportunity to recount each donor’s personal connection to Kenyon and the impact of their gift. (The Marriott Society recognizes the people who have included Kenyon in their estate plans.)
Questions? Contact the bicentennial tri-chairs at bicentennial@kenyon.edu.
Additional reporting by Emilie Hankla '26.