Founders Day celebrates Honors College's heritage
9/11/2009
Students, faculty, and staff celebrated the Schreyer Honors College's founding on Thursday (September 10) with cake, ice cream, and a few surprises.
During its inaugural Founders Day celebration, the college unveiled a photo mosaic and announced a new Creamery ice cream flavor, dubbed Scholars Chip, being produced in honor of college founder William A. Schreyer '48. Founders Day commemorated the announcement made in September 1997 of the establishment of the Schreyer Honors College through a $30 million gift by Mr. Schreyer, former CEO of Merrill Lynch, and his wife, Joan. In 2006, the Schreyers pledged an additional $25 million to the college bearing their name.
"The Schreyer Honors College is a place of lifelong, life-changing significance," said Dr. Chris Brady, dean of the Schreyer Honors College, during the festivities. "Today we recognize the rich heritage of honors at Penn State and celebrate the special gifts of time and talents given by many that help us shape the lives of past, present, and future Scholars."
"The Faces and Places of Honors" photo mosaic featured more than 1,000 images of Schreyer Scholars, staff, and Penn State landmarks that together created an image of Atherton Hall, the Honors College's home on Penn State's University Park campus.
The Scholars Chip ice cream, being introduced later this fall by Penn State's Berkey Creamery, is a "brilliant combination," Brady said, of the Philadelphia-style vanilla bean ice cream dotted with premium milk chocolate chips that is being created by the honors college. Scholars Chip reflects Mr. Schreyer's favorite flavor, Dr. Brady said.
Members of the musical ensemble Essence of Joy performed prior to the start of the Founders Day ceremony and, under the direction of Penn State laureate Dr. Anthony Leach, led those gathered in singing "Happy Birthday."
