Wilson Commons celebrates its 25th birthday Wednesday, April 4.
The festivities will kick off with a performance by the Eastman Trombone Choir at noon. The Student Activities Office will offer free pizza and birthday cake at 7 p.m. ?Vertical Limit? will play for free at 8:30 p.m. in the Gowen Room. There will be a commemorative poster giveaway.
A part of the event will be ?A Show of Hands? which is meant to show unity among the student body. Students can put their handprints on two king-sized sheets, which will later be put up on the balconies of Wilson Commons.
Designed by world-famous architect I.M. Pei, Wilson Commons opened April 4, 1976, replacing Todd Union, which had served as the student union. Todd Union was originally built to serve the male-only campus, and was more like a men’s social club. It was inadequate for an expanded campus population.
?Wilson Commons was conceived as more than just a student union, but as a place where all members of the university community ? students, faculty, staff, alumni and guests would be welcome,? said George Morrison, assistant director of the Student Activities Office.
In 1986, the New York Times ranked Wilson Commons as the No. 2 college union in the country.
Charles Drew symposium explores race issues
The Charles Drew Pre-Health Society will hold ?When Legend is Truth,? a symposium that will explore misconceptions that maintain racial barriers and will discuss how victims of oppression turn myths into truths based on historical injustices.
The program features dinner keynote speaker Spencie Love, author of ?One Blood: The Death and Resurrection of Charles R. Drew.?
Panels will include ?Seeing Red: Charles Drew, the Red Cross and the Blood Plasma Project,? ?Nothing But the Blood: ?Righting? Race and Religion in 2001? and ?The One Drop Rule: The Intersection of Blood, Race and Social Justice.?
Charles Drew was a legendary African-American surgeon who died in a car accident in 1950.
The event will be from 2:30 to 6:45 p.m. Friday in Whipple Auditorium at the Medical Center. Symposium cost is $20 for the general public and $10 for UR and St. John Fisher College students with student ID.
Artwalk seeks artistic benches
Artwalk and the Southeast Area Coalition, organizations in the Rochester area, are inviting residents to submit models for artistic benches or other sitting places.
Four winning benches will be chosen for selected sites along University Avenue between George Eastman House and North Goodman Street, a stretch known as Artwalk.
?The community is building incredible momentum for Rochester?s first art trail,? Doug Rice, a member of Artwalk?s board of directors, said in a press release.
The deadline for bench models is May 1. Artists will complete benches for installation by Sept. 1. Call 244-4480 for competition guidelines.
Daylight savings puts clocks one hour ahead
Remember to set your clocks one hour ahead at 2 a.m. this Sunday!
Reporting by Cecilia Le and Pranav Chandra.
