Lafayette College is in the planning phases of events to mark its 2026 bicentennial during the 2025-26 academic year, with the initial phase of event announcements being released on Oct. 21 via a new website.
“The Bicentennial is for our entire community–students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents and family members, as well as our neighbors and community and all those interested in marking this momentous occasion in the life of the College,” wrote Pete Mackey in an email, a co-chair of the Bicentennial Committee. The other chairs of the committee — the primary assembly overseeing the bicentennial — are alums Fran Della Badia ’91 and Wynne Whitman ’86.
In addition to the bicentennial committee, the college formed five task forces consisting of current faculty and students.
Current plans can be seen on the bicentennial website, which gives an overview of planned programs and activities. The currently listed activities include a campus mural, programs in partnership with the Easton and Lehigh Valley community, special merchandise, faculty grants and the inclusion of special bicentennial speakers and performers for the 2026 Commencement and Reunion.
The events currently announced are largely geared toward alumni, allowing former students to celebrate the bicentennial.
Mary Neuenschwander, a chair of the Alumni and Parents Bicentennial Task Force, found it important to iterate that all alumni are welcome and encouraged to be a part of the celebration.
“It is very important that everyone knows that all are welcome to celebrate in the Bicentennial of Lafayette College,” she wrote in an email. “President Hurd speaks about Lafayette College’s democratic origin story, and as we celebrate 200 years of the College, the message that all belong in this celebration is essential.”
Neuenschwander noted that the alumni and family engagement office will be messaging the 30,000 living alumni and families about the celebration and events of the college’s 200th anniversary.
As for bicentennial student events, member of the Student Life Bicentennial Task Force Annie Toohey ‘26 noted that they are still in the “planning phase.”
Toohey said that the task force is working on ways to “bicentennial-ize” preexisting campus events, like Homecoming and the Lafayette-Lehigh rivalry game, elevating them in celebration of the college’s anniversary.
“We’re focusing on making them special for students,” she said.
“I think the biggest goal that we have is to build and bring our community together and really celebrate this moment and connect students with the larger Lafayette network,” Toohey added.
She reiterated that these updated events are still in the “brainstorming” period.
Melissa Dalrymple, the associate director of student involvement, wrote in an email that “we are focusing our efforts on a few significant events rather than over programming.”
“We don’t want to do too much to the point where the campus becomes fatigued with the excitement about the bicentennial,” Toohey said.
“We very much hope every member of our community who wants to share in the Bicentennial will do so,” Mackey wrote. “It will be a wonderful time to celebrate the momentous history and exciting future of this College together.”