Then and Now: Founders Day
Founders Day traditions endure during the the annual celebration of the University's founding.
An annual celebration of the founding of Illinois State University began with the first Founders Day in 1909. The tradition grew in 1913 with a full slate of events to honor the University’s first president, Charles Hovey. The annual event was merged with convocation during the Great Depression and World War II, but it’s been a full-fledged celebration of the University’s founding since the 1950s, including when President Robert G. Bone rang the historic Old Main Bell at the centennial celebration in 1957. Traditions today include a faculty and staff appreciation luncheon and awards ceremony, and ringing of both the historic Old Main Bell and a replica that accommodates indoor bell ringing, as President Aondover Tarhule did in 2024.
Latest Publications
- CAST Research Fellow Dr. Liangcheng Yang advances biogas optimizationDr. Liangcheng Yang, a research fellow in CAST at Illinois State University, is advancing sustainable energy by improving biogas production through innovative anaerobic digestion research.
- Office of International Engagement Celebrates Homecoming Week with Cultural Banner DisplayDuring Homecoming Week, the Office of International Engagement invited students, faculty, and staff to take part in a fun and creative project: a collaborative banner celebrating Illinois State University’s international community.
- Secretary of State mobile office, October 28, 2025The Secretary of State's Office will provide services on October 28, 2025, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., in the Spotlight Room of the Bone Student Center.
- Kristen Bernas honored as first LOVE Award recipient for exemplary collaborationKristen Bernas is the inaugural recipient of the Living Our Values in Excellence (LOVE) Award.
- Illinois State professors and alum honored with Outstanding Paper Award for groundbreaking study on inmate handbook readabilityDr. Jessie Krienert and Dr. Jeffrey Walsh from Illinois State University, along with alum Malia Kohls, won the 2025 Outstanding Paper Award from the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association.
- Make a lasting impact by mentoring a Redbird studentCareer Services invites you to join the Alumni Mentor Network, where your experience becomes a powerful tool for student success.
