McKenzie Fleeman
mdf001@marietta.edu
Founders Day will be celebrated on Feb. 18 in the McDonough Auditorium this year and continue a long tradition at Marietta College.
“Feb. 14, 1835, is when Marietta College received the charter from the state of Ohio to be an official college. Before that there were different versions of institutions, but in terms of operating under the name Marietta College, Feb. 14 is considered the college’s birthday,” said Dr. Mark Miller, associate provost for academic administration.
It was decided that the ceremony would always be held on the Thursday before or after Feb. 14, depending on when the Board of Trustees decide to convene. The first half of the ceremony is dedicated to awards for staff, faculty, and community members. There is a separate ceremony to honor students at the Honors Convocation later in the spring.
“The awards that we present include the McCoy Outstanding Teaching Award and the Harness Teaching Award, both funded by donors,” Miller said.
“The McCoy award is selected by an external committee and the Harness is an internal award. They both recognize outstanding professors and are the most significant teaching awards presented at this ceremony,” Miller said.
The Innovative Teaching Award will also be given, and it is selected by a different faculty committee. The Research Award is given to a faculty member who conducted outstanding research. Advising Awards will be awarded as well. There will be an award recognizing an adviser that does an outstanding job with first year students and then a separate award given to an outstanding adviser within each academic major.
“The Douglass Putnam Service Award is given to a faculty member that does outstanding service for the campus, that goes above and beyond what they are required to do,” Miller said.
“There is also a Douglass Putnam Outstanding Staff Service award for staff members that go above and beyond with their service.”
Lastly, awards will be given to recognize community service outside the college. These awards include the Outstanding Community Leadership Award which can be given to a faculty or staff member and also an award for a community member that exhibits educational service in the Mid-Ohio Valley.
The faculty and staff will march in full regalia and a music program will also be performed at the Founders Day ceremony. A speaker is invited to each ceremony to give an inspirational or motivational speech that is not always related specifically to Marietta College.
“This year the speaker that we have is Dr. Henry Earl Holliday and he graduated from Marietta College in 1970,” Miller said.
“He got a degree in education while he was here and played varsity basketball. After he graduated, he got his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at The Ohio State University.”
Holliday worked in both Ohio and Georgia as an administrator in the public school system. Holliday focuses his work on outreach to at risk youth in elementary and high school. Holliday is working with kids to identify ways that they can find value in themselves and use K-12 education to attain personal goals.
After the speaker, a reception will be held in the McDonough Gallery.
“We always like to see as many students as we can attend,” Miller said.
“My thinking is that it is a good way to realize the bigger picture of Marietta College. It’s not just the four or five years that they are here. It goes all the way back to 1835. Usually the President or Provost will give a short talk reminding us that we’re just a snapshot in time and part of something much bigger than ourselves,” Dr. Miller said.
The Founders Day Ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. in the McDonough Auditorium. Those planning to attend are encouraged to get there early to reserve a seat. The event is free to attend and open to the community.
To learn more about Dr. Henry Earl Holliday, visit his website: http://www.boystransitioning.org/
