UAlbany Concludes 175th Anniversary with Time Capsule Dedication, Holiday Card Competition Results

ALBANY, N.Y. (Dec. 10, 2019) – The University concluded its 175th anniversary celebration last Wednesday with the reveal of what will go into the next UAlbany time capsule and the results from the President’s Office holiday card contest.

Items, representing the University’s nine schools and colleges, included a vial of air from the School of Public Health, a recipe card for a custom pizza from the Office of the Provost, a 2019 football jersey and a photo montage from University Libraries, among other mementos.

The afternoon’s festivities took place on Dec. 4 in the Great Hall of the Campus Center.

During the ceremony, President Havidán Rodríguez read portions of a letter he wrote to the University president who will reopen the time capsule in 50 years.

In the letter, Rodríguez cited achievements from the past year, including the March launch of UAlbany’s first drone lab in the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity, as well as athletic milestones such as the women’s volleyball team securing the America East Conference title and the football team’s first FCS playoff win.

“I am reminded that what makes us great as an institution are our excellent students, faculty and staff, alumni and friends of the University,” said Rodríguez, offering words of appreciation for previous generations’ work and dedication to UAlbany. “While we are separated by time, we are bound by our timeless public mission and our strong desire to create a better future.”

The president also gave tribute to his wife, Rosy Lopez, and family for their support.

Despite some of the significant challenges that the University has and will continue to face, particularly in regards to the climate crisis, Rodríguez said that he hopes the campus community will, in the decades to come, "see the remarkable progress that our institution has made since our humble beginnings in 1844.”

The time capsule will be returned to the cornerstone of Dutch Quad, the first uptown residence hall at the University.

The 1964 capsule was first opened in May for the University’s kickoff celebration of its 175th birthday. The event included a proclamation of “University at Albany Day” by Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan.

Card Competition Results

This year’s winner for the holiday card competition was Juliana Haliti, an MFA student in studio art, and painting and sculpture.

Haliti, a fine artist whose work focuses on environmental ecosystems, said an image of the New York State Normal School from its beginnings as an abandoned railroad station in downtown Albany gave her inspiration for the design. The School was UAlbany's precursor and the first state-run public institution of higher education in New York.

“I wanted to be a part of this opportunity to showcase our talents and to honor an institution that I’ve fallen in love with during my short time here,” said Haliti, who took home a $1,000 scholarship for the prize.

Sara Stein, a graduate student in the School of Business’ evening MBA program, and Andrea Morales Arauz, a senior informatics major, were the competition’s runner ups.

UAlbany's 175th anniversary celebration included a throw-back basketball game with players in replica 1950s uniforms in February and appearances throughout the year by Pedwin the Penguin, the University’s original mascot.

A traveling exhibit, showcasing posters of notable students and alumni, was featured at Albany’s Legislative Office Building and on all three campuses.

Due to the digitalization efforts of the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections & Archives, readers can view official records of UAlbany and its predecessor institutions. The collection includes research materials such as administrative records, course catalogs, yearbooks, photographs, film and editions of the Albany Student Press.

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