This year, SFU is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the day it opened its doors — September 9, 1965. There are a number of celebratory events being planned by the university in effort to engage the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members in commemorating the milestone.
The associate project director of SFU’s 50th Anniversary Project, Adam Brayford, expressed, “SFU’s 50th Anniversary is so rich with events because events are perhaps the most meaningful and memorable way for us to engage our community.”
With less than 72 days until the big “50th Anniversary Kickoff” and “Celebrate & Savour SFU’s 50th Anniversary,” here are some celebratory events you can attend leading up to September 9.
Through a Window: Visual Art and SFU
Where: SFU Gallery (June 3 – July 31), Audain Gallery (June 3 – August 1), Teck Gallery (June 3 – April 30, 2016)
Showcasing the history of visual art at SFU over the past 50 years, this three-part exhibition integrates the works of former students, faculty, and other collaborators in a reflection of the artistic rhythms of the past.
The exhibit literally looks at a window in each of the galleries as “as a social, spatial, and material symbol.” The works display shifts in local, national, and international aesthetics, theory, teaching, technology, and politics over the decades.
In addition to public tours, mobile talks, and sound walks, the three galleries will host various listening events and lectures throughout the summer.
City of Surrey Fusion Festival
Where: Holland Park (July 18 – 19)
Music, food, and culture will be at the forefront of the Fusion Festival, featuring a number of ethnic groups and service clubs from the Surrey and South Fraser communities.
There will be over 70 performances on four stages throughout the park, including appearances by the SFU pipe band and highland dancers. The Celebration Stage is being sponsored by SFU, with the aim to “create a celebration of international cooperation in the spirit of harmony.”
“SFU’s presence at the Surrey Fusion Festival,” said Brayford, “is an example of how, as we enter our 50th year, we are more community-engaged than ever.”
In addition to interactive booths put on by groups such as SFU Recreation and the Mechatronics department, the festival will include a 50th Anniversary ceremony and reception, and a welcome address by President Andrew Petter.
Where: All three SFU campuses (September 8 – 11)
As the university welcomes a fresh batch of faces for the 50th time, all students are welcome to participate in the biggest Week of Welcome in SFU history.
A carnival-themed day will kick off the first week of classes. Students can expect to see photo booths, mini golf, and daily barbeques or pancake breakfasts at the Burnaby and Surrey campuses. A community barbeque will be held at the Vancouver campus on Wednesday September 9.
“Our 50th Anniversary Week of Welcome will provide a fun way to enter the fall semester and will create memorable experiences for students,” explained Brayford. The week promises to engage and entertain with lots of good food, music, performances, and free stuff.
Where: Freedom Square (September 9)
SFU’s official birthday party will be held around on the day the university opened its doors to its very first students. Although the kickoff will be held in Freedom Square around midday, it will be live-streamed to simultaneous celebrations at each of the satellite campuses.
Attendees will have the opportunity to don 50th Anniversary tattoos, and write inspirational chalk messages on the steps of Freedom Square. Live entertainment, food trucks, and — of course — fair-trade birthday cake are on all the menu.
Click here for details on the celebrations.
Where: AQ courtyard (September 9)
The evening of September 9 will see the AQ courtyards transformed into an interactive food festival, featuring the greatest chefs and culinary experts in Metro Vancouver.
An array of ethnic performances, a giant birthday card, photobooths, and more, will be topped off with a display of fireworks at the end of the night.
Click here for more on this unique evening event.
Launch of the Change Makers Video Series
Where: Various SFU locations (September 9)
Starting September 9, SFU will be launching a series of videos profiling “change makers” from the SFU community.
The change makers include those who have taken the knowledge and experience acquired from their time at SFU and shared it with the greater global community. The videos will released throughout the year.
50th Anniversary Clan Kickoff Football Game
Where: Swangard Stadium (September 19)
SFU Athletics will be kicking off their 50th anniversary celebrations at the first Clan football game of the season. The anniversary season will feature event passport reward programs to allow fans to win prizes by collecting stamps at each game they attend.
Select games throughout the season will recognize some of the Clan’s greatest athletes and athletic achievements. Fans can also expect to see the distribution of commemorative t-shirts and performances by university artists, including the award-winning SFU pipe band, at the games.
Where: SFU Convocation Mall (October 8 – 9)
The Fall 2015 Convocation will be celebrated with esteemed guests, including SFU’s Charter (very first) alumni and special honorary degree recipients.
Filmmaker and author Sut Jhally, scientist and educator Bill Nye “the Science Guy,” prize-winning chemist Harry Gray, and ethnobotanist and ethnoecologist Nancy Turner, are just a few of the individuals who will walk the stage with the graduands.
The ceremony will include 50th anniversary heraldry, and the graduands will receive a special momento from the university and Alumni Association.
