Hastings College will mark its 125th anniversary with several Founders'  Week activities, Sept. 10-14. The public is invited to attend a chapel service on Wednesday, and a celebration in downtown Hastings on Thursday.

 A special 125th anniversary chapel service will be held Wednesday, Sept. 12, at 10 a.m., in French Memorial Chapel. The Reverend William Nottage-Tacey ‘72, D.Min., senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Hastings, Neb., and a Hastings College Board of Trustee member, will preach. The Hastings College Choir will perform.

Birthday cake will be served outside the chapel following the service.

 Hastings College and the Hastings Downtown Center Association are sponsoring a 125th anniversary celebration, Thursday, Sept. 13, from 5 to 9 p.m., on 2nd Street between Lincoln and Denver Avenues.

 From 6 to 6:45 p.m., a formal ceremony will take place with Chris Schukei, associate vice president for marketing and communications at Hastings College, serving as master of ceremonies. Others taking part in the ceremony will include: Hastings mayor Matt Rossen, Congressman Adrian Smith (3rd District Nebraska), state Sen. Carroll Burling (District 33), and President Phil Dudley.

The Hastings College marching band, dance team and vocal groups will perform. From 7 to 8 p.m., The Killigan’s, an Irish folk band, will play.

 The college will be serving free root beer floats throughout the evening, and will also be offering several give-away items. 

The evening will culminate with a fireworks display.

Hastings College opened formally with a chapel service, Sept. 13, 1882, at First Presbyterian Church, then located at Fourth Street and Lincoln Avenue. Following the chapel service, the first classes were held in six classrooms on the second floor of the Chilcote Building, formerly located on the northeast corner of First Street and Hastings Avenue. Forty-four students were enrolled.
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