Illustrations by Verónica Grech
The Great 200
Reflecting on (at least) 200 of the most impactful moments, people, and spaces to shape Lafayette over the past two centuries.
With research by Katlyn Clarke, Madeline Marriott ’24, and Bebe Yaffe ’26
Illustrations by Verónica Grech
Moments that Made us
Starting with the origin story, on March 9, 1826, the citizens of Easton received a charter establishing Lafayette College. Nine acres, on a hill across from Easton, would be purchased in 1832 (pictured), soon called “College Hill.” On May 9, 1832, classes officially began in a rented farmhouse on the south bank of the Lehigh River; a total of 43 students learned about math and the classics. Several years later, Aaron O. Hoff would become a member of the Class of 1836, and the College’s first African American student. With gifts from Ario Pardee in 1866, Lafayette grew into a place of arts, science, and engineering. In 1876, the College’s president William Cassady Cattell recommended a revised name for the institution:
“La Fayette” would be adapted to “Lafayette.” Interest in the College would continue to grow with enrollment passing 500 in 1910 and reaching 1,000 in the 1920s. When student council voted on a college mascot in 1924, it chose a Leopard for school spirit; a century later, “Roary” remains the only big cat of its kind in Division I. Between 1929 and 1930, Fred Morgan Kirby established the Kirby Hall of Civil Rights—the first U.S. collegiate building dedicated to government, law, and civil rights. The student body further diversified when the first women enrolled in 1970. For the first-year class entering this fall, the College fielded the largest applicant pool in its history.
Best old traditions
Singing on Pardee steps; Lafayette-Lehigh Rivalry Week; 100 Nights and 1,000 Nights; George Wharton Pepper Prize winners; Last Lecture for seniors.
Best new traditions
Cord and Sword Ceremony; 100 Hours; Quad Lighting (below); Northampton Street Bridge in maroon LEDs for Commencement; decorating graduation caps.
“The most fascinating expedition I’ve ever made is the one I’ll make tomorrow,”
Explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau said while at Lafayette in 1991.
19th Century Presidents
George Junkin
1832–1841, 1844–1848
As the first president of Lafayette College, he and 43 students comprised Lafayette’s original student body.
John William Yeomans
1841–1844
Oversaw the administration of the College, served on the Board of Trustees, and taught (Moral and Mental Philosophy, Evidences of Christianity).
Charles William Nassau
1849–1850
Faced an enrollment drop from 82 to 25; applied to the Presbyterian synod in Philadelphia for financial help.
Daniel V. McLean
1850–1857
Administrator and fundraiser of the College’s early years. Notably, he attempted to raise money to improve the College’s academic standards by selling scholarship certificates.
George Wilson McPhail
1857–1863
Named Francis A. March as the nation’s first English professor.
William Cassady Cattell
1863–1883
Saved the school from bankruptcy with Ario Pardee and oversaw development of Pardee Hall, President’s House, a new “scientific department,” and more.
James Hall Mason Knox
1883–1890
First to live in the President’s House.
Ethelbert Dudley Warfield
1891–1914
Served during growing global tensions.
Moments that Moved Us
On Sept. 22, 1836, Lafayette issued its first diploma to George Washington Kidd. Fraternity DKE arrived in 1855. The Lafayette-Lehigh Rivalry kicked off in 1884. Pardee was destroyed by fire, twice, but restored in 1899. In April 1917, Lafayette became a military training camp known as Camp Lafayette (pictured) with military drills on the Quad. On June 16, 1945, at the 110th Commencement, the alma mater was recorded in Colton Chapel. (Listen to it at ldr.lafayette.edu.) In 1947, WJRH call letters were assigned. The College declined a bid to the 1949 Sun Bowl when David Showell ’51 was banned; “The Greatest Game They Never Played” was a catalyst for desegregation policies in college sports. Students founded the Association of Black Collegians in January 1969, elevating change and conversations around race on campus. President K. Roald Bergethon cut a 15-layer maroon-and-white sesquicentennial cake on March 9, 1976. As females joined the faculty, Rosie Bukics began teaching economics in 1980; she is the longest-serving female faculty member in College history. In 1996, student club FLAGB raised awareness and support for LGBTQIA+ community. At 16-feet high, the stainless steel Transcendence was installed near Skillman in 2008; the sculpture by Melvin Edwards honors David Kearney McDonogh, our first African American graduate. In 2013, the College’s first female president, Alison Byerly, was named. During the 2024 presidential election, students waited in line for five hours to vote.
“I read, I study,
I examine, I listen,I think, and out of all that I try
to form an idea into which I put as much common sense as I can.”
Marquis de Lafayette inscribed on the Pepper Prize medal
So You Want To…
Hit the books
> A spot at one of the Kirby Library tables
> Inside the wood-paneled Global Salon of Oechsle
> Any of Skillman’s quiet areas or private “noise canceling” rooms
Stay off the beaten path
> Underground walkway connecting Acopian and Rockwell
> The Kirby Room, hidden inside a Van Wickle computer lab
> The gardens of McKelvy House (pictured) and President’s House
> On the 3-acre grounds at LaFarm
Exercise, but make it fun
> The escarpment’s hike-bike path
> Nature fix along the Karl Stirner Arts Trail
> Kirby’s indoor climbing wall
> In and around Fisher Stadium
> The Bicentennial Tour with President Hurd
> College Hill strolls
20th Century Presidents
John Henry MacCracken
1915–1926
The first president who wasn’t a minister.
William Mather Lewis
1927–1945
Led Lafayette through the Depression and World War II; brought military training programs to campus.
Ralph Cooper Hutchison
1945–1957
Hutchison, Class of 1918, was the first alumnus to serve as president.
K. Roald Bergethon
1958–1978
His 20-year tenure included the construction of Skillman Library, Kunkel Hall, and Kirby Fieldhouse, and in 1970, the enrollment of women for the first time. The late College historian Albert Gendebien ’34 described Bergethon’s tenure as “a golden time in the history of the College.”
David Ellis
1978–1990
The College increased its endowment to more than $200 million, built Williams Center for the Arts, and joined what would become the Patriot League.
Robert I. Rotberg
1990–1993
Scholar on conflict and conflict prevention in the developing world; served as president of World Peace Foundation after leaving Lafayette.
Arthur J. Rothkopf
1993–2005
Initially hired as interim president, Rothkopf began a $213 million capital campaign and construction renaissance. At the time, the College also saw rising SAT scores, the Marquis Scholars program, and two new areas of study: neuroscience and Africana studies.
“WHY NOT?”
ROLL PARDS
One dozen post-seasons that we’re still talking about—and those who helped to achieve them.
By John Sabino
March 7, 1987
Women’s basketball won the ECC title with a 60-58 victory over Lehigh in Hempstead, New York. Led by Maureen McManus ’87, Stacey Cagenello ’87, Beth Mowins ’89, and legendary head coach Pat Fisher, this was the second of three recorded conference titles in program history.
Nov. 16, 2003
Men’s soccer notched its fifth Patriot League Championship, beating Lehigh 2-0 thanks to goals by Ralph Rapuano ’04 and Matt Battiste ’04. It was the first championship under the helm of head coach Dennis Bohn. This fall, Bohn eclipsed 200 career wins.
May 13, 2007
Baseball won its first Patriot League title at Kamine Stadium, sweeping Army, under head coach Joe Kinney. This was the first time playing in the NCAA regionals since 1980; Mike Raible ’07 was named the Patriot League Tournament MVP, finishing with a .429 average and five runs batted in.
March 11, 2015
Men’s basketball clinched its third Patriot League Championship under the helm of longtime head coach Fran O’Hanlon. The victory marked the first time in league history that the tournament champion was not the one or two seed. Leading the way was guard Nick Lindner ’17, with 25 points, during the 65-63 victory over American.
Nov. 1, 2016
Women’s soccer defeated Lehigh 1-0 in the first round of the Patriot League Tournament. Midfielder Joanna Scotti ’17 headed in the game winning goal in the 109th minute of the double overtime on a corner kick from Kaelin King ’17.
April 28, 2019
Golfer Will Halamandaris ’20 secured the individual Patriot League Championship title at the Seven Oaks Golf Club in Hamilton, N.Y.
Nov. 18, 2023
Under head coach John Troxell ’94, Lafayette finished off a nine-win regular season and the program’s 700th victory in the best way imaginable, beating Lehigh 49-21 to capture a Patriot League title and a triumph in Rivalry 159.
Sept. 7, 2024
Led by Abby Nieporte ’25 and Carol Ulichney ’26, the women’s volleyball team defeated its first-ever Power Four opponent, Virginia Tech.
Nov. 9, 2024
Field hockey clinched its first Patriot League Championship since 2012. In October of that same year, head coach Jennifer Stone ’04 notched her 100th career win.
March 2, 2025
Fencing’s Antonie Mannes ’25 placed first in the MACFA Championship, winning the individual title in the epee; this was Lafayette’s first MACFA title win in more than 20 years.
April 5, 2025
Men’s tennis secured its first-ever playoff win, a victory over Boston University.
April 29, 2025
Scoring from Nicholas Blalock ’28, Joseph Duggan ’28, and Liam Sargent ’25 led men’s lacrosse to its first-ever program playoff win, beating Navy by a final score of 9-5.
Founders and builders
James Henry Coffin
Professor and mathematician who developed the field of meteorology.
Dr. Traill Green
Physician and chemistry professor who donated $15,000 in 1864 to create a college observatory, called the Star Barn, that housed his own large telescope.
Aaron O. Hoff
First African American student to attend Lafayette College.
Francis A. March
First professor of the English language and literature in America who taught at Lafayette for more than 50 years. March was also the College’s first librarian.
Ario Pardee
The industrialist gifted $100,000 to establish a curriculum in 1866, followed by another $200,000 for Pardee Hall.
James Madison Porter
Founder of Lafayette College and first president of its Board of Trustees; grandson James Madison Porter III designed the Northampton Street Bridge.
David Bishop Skillman
Easton attorney who served as secretary of the Lafayette Board of Trustees from 1915 to 1957.
That Lafayette Joie De Vivre
Sights and sounds
> Looking out the top of Markle Parking Deck
> Easton vistas from the Class of 1962 Gateway Plaza
> Watching the latest performance on stage at Williams Center for the Arts
> Acopian’s glass-enclosed fifth-floor classrooms
> Easton Farmers’ Market, the longest running open-air market in the country
Feel like a kid again
> On the swings around campus, especially near Ramer History House
> A few scoops from Owowcow Creamery
> Text threads with classmates leading up to Reunion
> Booking a room at the nostalgic Lafayette Inn
Catch up with classmates
> Lounge areas around Rockwell
> Warming up by the Leopard’s Lair fireplace in the Farinon basement
> Easton Public Market with croissants and coffee
Moments To Motivate Us
2026 ushers in excitement for the entire Easton community. Lehigh Valley 250 celebrates the history of our surrounding areas with yearlong events. Karl Stirner Arts Trail, led by executive director and curator Jim Toia, has a proposed major expansion; poets Ross Gay ’96 and Yolanda Wisher ’98 are also involved with projects. Alpha Phi Omega, founded at Lafayette 100 years ago, is set to receive an obelisk in downtown Scott Park. Alumni and friends can head to Miami for the next installment of “Students, Faculty, and the Power of &” on Feb. 20. On campus, look for: Bicentennial exhibitions curated at Skillman Library; special grants offered for Bicentennial-related research and projects (pictured); Abercrombie & Fitch’s exclusive Bicentennial merch being worn; and the first spring season at Wallach Sports Performance and Lacrosse Center at Metzgar Campus. In March is the 2026 Council of Lafayette Women Conference and installation of the Adrienne statue, followed by a weeklong celebration of all things Marquis for Founders’ Week. The 191st Commencement takes place late spring, as does the long blooming season of Marquis Marigolds, thanks to the College’s partnership with Burpee Seeds. By fall, there will be a Bicentennial symposium on campus; Fisher Stadium will host the 2026 Lafayette-Lehigh Rivalry Game for the second consecutive year; and a Bicentennial gala for students will be held on the Quad.
In your words
When students and alumni were asked to describe Lafayette in one word, here’s what they said:
Life-changing, supportive, transformative, enduring, heightening, home, opportunity, enchanting, welcoming, nurturing, dynamic, belonging, family, rewarding, immersive, vibrant, stimulating, and memorable.
SMALL TOWN,
BIG NAMES
Some of the notable visitors to stop by College Hill over the years
Presidents Jimmy Carter, Rutherford B. Hayes; musicians Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews Band, The Grateful Dead, Smokey Robinson, and Martha and the Vandellas; actors Tom Hanks, Steve Martin; and activists Jane Goodall, Gloria Steinem.
Investing in the Future
Five strategic priority areas for “Becoming Lafayette: A Vision for Our Third Century”
1.
Building Into the “And”: Liberal Arts, Engineering, and Interdisciplinarity
2.
Democracy and Its Technologies: History, Design, and Civic Practice
3.
Experience and Collaboration: Easton, the Lehigh Valley, and the Globe
4.
Cultivating Connections: Inclusivity, Belonging, and Stewardship
5.
Strengthening Our Infrastructure: People, Process, and Place
“If you aim low, the concern is you might hit the mark.”
Joe Maddon ’76
author and baseball manager who broke the Chicago Cubs World Series 108-year-old championship drought
The Quad by the seasons
Fall
Adirondack chairs and foliage; tables at the Student Involvement Fair.
Winter
Snowball fights and white lights.
Spring
Students playing live music; rows of seats for Commencement ceremony.
Summer
Reunion with classmates under the tent; movies with the Easton community.
Campus
Photo Ops
Where to take
the best selfies
> Standing by the new “1826” sculpture (see p. 2)
> On Skillman steps with the Quad as a backdrop
> Hugging the Leopard statue
> Outside Farinon with classmates during Reunion
> While the sun sets around Rockwell
> Along High Street near Markle Hall
Classic Classes
Hundreds of courses and seminars, thousands of students, and countless lessons. Were you in class with any of these Laf profs?
Principles of Economics, Rex Ahene
East Asia’s Last Dynasties, Paul Barclay
Financial Theory and Analysis, Rosie Bukics
Theater and Social Justice, Mary Jo Lodge
International Politics, Seo-Hyun Park
Introduction to Engineering, Mary Roth ’83
Shakespeare, June Schlueter, Ian Smith
Political Sociology, Howard Schneiderman
Dinosaurs, Darwin, and Deep Time, David Sunderlin
Literary Questions, Suzanne Westfall
21st Century Presidents
Daniel Weiss
2005–2013
Williams Arts Campus at the base of College Hill developed at this time; Lafayette’s black box theater in Buck Hall is named after Weiss, who is an art historian, and his wife, Sandra.
Alison Byerly
2013–2021
The first female to lead as president of the once all-male college; she was also at the helm during the global COVID-19 crisis. “Lafayette is a place that asks you to seek an ideal, and live up to it,” Byerly said in her first Commencement address to students.
Nicole Farmer Hurd
2021–Present
Since becoming the College’s 18th president in 2021, Hurd has elevated Lafayette’s national reputation: Applications have surged to a historic high, and major initiatives have expanded access, funding, and global engagement. In August, the Board of Trustees voted to extend Hurd’s contract through 2030.
If You Build It
Newer spaces on campus that inspire us
Portlock Black Cultural Center, which was moved to its new location at 41 McCartney Street and extensively renovated in 2022, supports students of color
Simon Center for Business and Economics, opened last fall semester, houses the economics department and policy studies program, Bloomberg terminals, and a 54-seat lecture hall.
Acopian Engineering Center, with a foundation from 1952, has seen upgrades over time. Most recently: The 2022 expansion of 18,000 square feet of learning space and smart classrooms.
Van Wickle’s outdoor classroom is a new terrace on the south side of Van Wickle Hall, fitted with an outdoor video monitor, slate chalkboard, and student seating for an academic experience that’s both high tech and al fresco.
Rockwell Integrated Sciences Center earned LEED Platinum ratings in 2020. Inside is the Dyer Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, plus the Hanson Center, one of two Inclusive STEM Education Centers in the nation.
Dyer’s Makerspace, a destination for entrepreneurs and doers since 2020. Students have access to 3D printers, hand tools, a laser engraver, and more resources to create.
Lavender Lane, Lafayette’s first “gender-inclusive, living-learning house” was established in 2022 as a home for LGBTQIA+ students and allies.
Photographs courtesy of (Rockwell) Robert Benson Photography; (Williams center) TAIKOPROJECT; (Karl stirner arts trail) Andy Smith; Adam atkinson, Lafayette college
