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Festival of Anniversaries

Celebrating a proud history!

Festival Choir
Dr. Douglas Dunsmore of Memorial's School of Music conducts the Chamber Choir at the Anniversary Gala Concert on Nov. 3, 1999.
From its earliest days in 1925 with an enrolment of 57 students, Memorial University has played a major role in the development of Newfoundland and Labrador, particularly in the post-confederation years. In 1997, with the approaching 50th anniversary of Memorial as a degree-granting institution in 1999, and the 75th anniversary of Memorial College in 2000, the university decided that these important milestones should be noted in a significant way. To this end, an anniversaries committee was formed in 1997 and tasked with developing a program to celebrate Memorial's achievements.

Coincidentally, the Marine Institute would celebrate its 35th anniversary in 1999 and Sir Wilfred Grenfell College its 25th in 2000. In addition, a number of units would celebrate anniversaries during the 1998-2000 period, e.g. , Faculty of Medicine, 30 years; School of Music, 25 years; the Graduate Students Union, 35 years, the MBA program, 20 years.

Dr. Kevin Keough
Dr. Kevin Keough, vice-president (research and international relations), speaking at the anniversary celebrations launch, May 25, 1998

“These anniversaries afforded an opportunity to promote Memorial and its accomplishments throughout the province,” said Dr. Kevin Keough, vice-president (research and international relations) and chair of the university's anniversaries committee.

The committee's first task was to produce an anniversary logo and a plan for the launch of the celebrations. Graphic artist and former Memorial employee Kevin Tobin designed a logo that incorporated the then-proposed Memorial Tower and the phrase “Celebrate Memorial.” The official launch of the celebrations was held at the Parade Street campus, the original Memorial University College, on May 25, 1998. Some 200 people including former employees and students of MUC attended the event.

Since the launch, more than 75 anniversary events have been held to celebrate Memorial, including several gala concerts organized by the School of Music. A few during 1999-2000 are noted here:

Highlights of the Festival

Over 1998-2000 Memorial's Festival of Anniversaries formally celebrates:
  • 75th anniversary of the founding of Memorial University College (1925),
  • 50th anniversary of the creation of Memorial University of Newfoundland as a degree- granting institution (1949),
  • 35th anniversary of the creation of the Marine Institute (1964), and
  • 25th anniversary of the founding of Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook (1975).
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    The Celebrate Memorial Logo

    The Celebrate Memorial logo