Posted Wednesday, September 21, 2022.

20220921 HU 125th Anniversary

Mayor Strick presents a proclamation to Huntington University President Dr. Sherilyn Emberton on Wednesday morning in recognition of HU's 125th anniversary.

HUNTINGTON – The City of Huntington congratulates Huntington University on its 125th anniversary and was proud to be part of a celebratory ceremony on HU’S campus Wednesday morning on the steps of Becker Hall.

Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, HU’s 13th president, opened Wednesday’s ceremony just after 8 a.m. with remarks reflecting on the university’s history. She looked back on the presidents who led HU before her, and how they put it on a trajectory of growth and advancement.

“The buildings look vastly different, and there are more locations and a wider range of programs. There are more students and faculty. And yet, in spite of all the ‘more,’ I believe that they would still see the foundation of faith on which it was all built,” Dr. Emberton said.

Isiah Huber, president of HU’s Student Government Association, spoke next, contemplating how the university has grown and how the world has changed since HU’s last landmark anniversary celebration in 1997. Through the changes, the institution has remained committed to consistently imparting truth, education and wisdom to those who study there, he said.

“So much can happen in 25 years. So much can change. And yet, as I stand here today with the names of decades worth of Foresters beneath my feet, I realize that the important things – the cornerstone things – they don’t change much at all,” Huber said.

Mayor Richard Strick followed by commending HU’s long tradition of faith, scholarship and service, issuing a proclamation calling on Huntington residents to recognize the Christian liberal arts university’s unique role in strengthening Huntington and building connections between our community and the surrounding region, state, nation and world.

Students, faculty and staff currently studying or employed at Huntington University, including its Arizona campus and online enrollment, come from 68 Indiana counties, 40 states and more than 30 countries.

“The broader Huntington area gains a deeper appreciation and understanding of other peoples and cultures through the diverse experiences of the administrators, staff and faculty members, alumni and students who have come to Huntington University from around the world,” Mayor Strick said during Wednesday’s ceremony.

Central College, as it was then known, was dedicated on September 21, 1897, by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, and its first students attended classes the following day. It was renamed Huntington College in 1917 and Huntington University in 2005 as its student body and academic offerings have continued to grow.

The university now offers graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations, with film and animation, nursing, psychology and social work among its most popular programs. The Huntington campus currently has 978 undergraduate students attending classes, with another 53 in its online enrollment. Combined, there are 243 graduate students enrolled onsite and online.

The City of Huntington recognizes the innumerable benefits that Huntington University brings to the community, such as the diverse group of students and instructors it attracts to Huntington, community leaders it has helped to train and develop, and its large economic impact on the region.

Huntington University also continues to provide a strong example of actionable faith through service, with the university’s Friesen Center for Service and Experiential Learning coordinating more than 11,000 hours of service each year in our local community, region, country and beyond. In a typical year, approximately 80 percent of the university’s student body gets involved in volunteer service, according to HU officials.

Publications such as U.S. News & World Reports, Forbes.com and Princeton Review have consistently called Huntington University one of the Midwest’s highest-ranked universities.

Mayor Strick called HU's stature and achievement a source of great and continuing pride for the City of Huntington.

"The university is a tremendous asset in our community that many communities envy," he said. "It brings global attraction and global impact to this community."

Huntington University is sponsoring this weekend’s Forks of the Wabash Pioneer Festival on Saturday, September 24, and Sunday, September 25, at the Huntington County Fairgrounds. Tied in with HU’s Forester mascot, the university and other local businesses are bringing the Wisconsin-based Timberworks Lumberjack Show to the festival. Festival-goers can experience a nostalgic logging competition of the early 1900s, axe throwing demonstrations, chainsaw carvings, log rolling and more.

Click here for more photos from HU's 125th anniversary celebration.