The College kicked off the Centennial year on Founders Day, April 5, 2011, the 100th anniversary of the College's charter signing. There were many more Centennial events throughout 2011, culminating in April, 2012.
JANUARY 2011
Centennial Tea
Jan. 27, 4-5:30 p.m.
This all-campus gathering kicks off the semester and Centennial year. Speakers include President Higdon and Emily Webb, Class of 2011 and a housefellow. Katharine Blunt Common Room.
“Great Beginnings: Conversations with Alumni”
Jan. 28, 8:15 p.m.
Lee Eisenberg ’99, writer and co-executive producer of “The Office,” will be the inaugural speaker in this series. Evans Hall.
Centennial Photo Show Opening
Jan. 29, 8 p.m.
Opening of the Centennial photo show, which runs through March 1. Sponsored by LINCC, a student group promoting connections between Connecticut College and New London.
Provenance Center, 165 State St., New London.
FEBRUARY 2011
OnStage: Prophets of Funk – Dance to the Music
Feb. 4, 8 p.m.
A performance by NYC-based David Dorfman Dance. Dorfman is a professor of dance at Connecticut College as well as an alumnus. Palmer Auditorium.
"Intergenerational Solidarity: Strengthening Economic and Social Ties"
Maria Cruz-Saco, professor of economics, Connecticut College
Free and open to the public.
February 16, 5:30 p.m.
Provenance Center
165 State Street
New London, CT 06320
860-405-5887
OnStage: Acoustic Africa Guitarists Habib Koité, Oliver Mtukudzi and Afel Bocoum
Feb. 26, 8 p.m.
Palmer Auditorium.
“Connections,” Centennial Photo Show
Through March 1
Exhibit viewing hours:
Thursdays (Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24) from 3-6 p.m.
Fridays (Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25) from 12-3 p.m.
Sponsored by students. Provenance Center, 165 State St., New London.
Honor New London Day
March 1, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
A public celebration honoring our connection to the city on the anniversary of the 1911 fundraising drive that brought the College to New London. A short speaking program begins at 5:30 p.m. At the Harris Building Atrium, 165 State Street, downtown New London
“Swan Song,” a retrospective exhibit
Through March 4
Featuring the artwork of Maureen McCabe, Joanne Toor Cummings ’50 Professor of Art, who will retire this year. Cummings Arts Center.
Meet the Faculty
March 10, 5:30-8 p.m.
Enjoy a preview tour of Calder's Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., with Art History and Architectural Studies Professor, Barbara Zabel. Then join alumni and parents at Clyde's of Gallery Place for a Centennial celebration.
MARCH 2011
“Creating a New Library: The First Books at Connecticut College”
Through March 18
Historical exhibit at Shain Library.
Meet the Faculty
March 10, 23 and 24
Washington, D.C., Sarasota and Naples regional alumni and parent receptions on March 10 (Washington, D.C.), March 23 (Sarasota, Fla.) and March 24 (Naples, Fla.).
Meet the Faculty
March 23, Noon-2 p.m.
Sarasota, Fla.
APRIL 2011
Great Beginnings: Conversations with Alumni
April 1, 8 p.m.
Jonathan McBride '92, special assistant at the White House. Evans Hall. (Open to campus community only.)
OnStage: Radio Macbeth
April 1, 8 p.m.
Performed by SITI Co. Palmer Auditorium.
The History and Future of Diversity at Connecticut College
April 2
A symposium sponsored by the Center for the Comparative Study of Race and Ethnicity. Keynote speech by Dr. Robert Hampton, dean of the College from 1987-1994. Blaustein Humanities Center.
Centennial Founders Day
April 5
100th anniversary of the signing of the College Charter. Campus celebration, historical lecture by Linda Eisenmann ’75, provost at Wheaton College, a tea honoring emeriti faculty, and the debut performance of the new Centennial song.
Celebrate in Style
April 3-10
Take time this week to do something – large or small – to honor Connecticut College and your time there. Whatever you do, let us know about it on our Facebook page.
OnStage: Lionheart & Ethel
April 8, 8 p.m.
Vocal ensemble and string quartet perform Phil Kline’s “John the Revelator.” Evans Hall.
1911 in Transnational Perspective
April 14, 4 p.m.
Faculty panel with professors Amy Dooling, Julia Kushigian, Jen Manion, Spencer Pack, Sufia Uddin, and Mab Segrest (moderator). Professor Paula Giddings of Smith College will also participate.
Ernst Common Room, Blaustein Humanities Center.
“The Work Can Never Die"
Ida B. Wells, 1911 and the Quest for Immortality
April 14, 7 p.m.
Centennial Lecture on Gender by Paula J. Giddings, professor of Afro-American studies at Smith College.
Ernst Common Room, Blaustein Humanities Center.
"Imprint, a Senior Thesis Concert," presented by the dance department.
April 14-16, 7:30 p.m.
Senior dance majors have re-created historical dance photos from the College's collection. Palmer Auditorium. Tickets $12, $6 students. For information call 860-436-ARTS April 16, 4:30 p.m.
"CC in Print," a panel discussion
The editors of The College Voice will host 12 former editors of the College's student newspaper, ranging from the class of 1962 to 2010.
Ernst Common Room, Blaustein Humanities Center
Camels Care
April 16-17
Join other Camels in your community for a National Day of Service.
Alumni in 10 cities, including Boston, New York, Washington and San Francisco, are coordinating. Volunteer in soup kitchens, clean parks and participate in a Habitat for Humanity build. For more information,
"From Academy Girls to College Women: The Path to 1911"
Examining a century of higher education for women from the beginning of the nineteenth century through the early years of Connecticut College.
March 28 through April 29
Historical exhibit at Shain Library.
MAY 2011
Bay to Breakers Walk/Run
May 15, 7 a.m. to noon
This 12K San Francisco race turns 100 in 2011 and so do we. California Camels are organizing a Connecticut College team.
Centennial Baccalaureate
May 21, 4 p.m.
With Olympic Medalist Anita L. DeFrantz ’74, a member of the International Olympic Committee. Palmer Auditorium.
Centennial Commencement
May 22. Procession began at 10:35 a.m.
Celebrate the history and traditions of the College and the achievements of the Centennial Class. Keynote speaker is Cynthia Enloe ’60, a Fulbright recipient and internationally known feminist scholar and writer. Tempel Green.
JUNE 2011
Centennial Reunion
June 3-5
Regional Receptions: CC comes to Rhode Island and Maine.
SEPTEMBER 2011
Centennial Convocation
Tuesday, Sept. 6, 4 p.m.
Celebrate the formal opening of the academic year. Palmer Auditorium, followed by picnic on Tempel Green.
OnStage: Mary Foster Conklin ’79 Cabaret Performance
Sept. 9, 10, 8 p.m.
Conklin performs selections from the Great American Songbook. Tansill Theater.
Great Beginnings: Conversations with Alumni
Sept. 16, 8:15 p.m.
Jay Lauf ’86, publisher of The Atlantic
Centennial Works for Trumpet, Tuba, and Organ
Saturday, September 24, 2011, 2 pm
Tom Brown, trumpet; Gary Buttery, tuba; John Anthony, organ; and Patrice Newman, piano
Music by composers born in 1911, including Alan Hovhaness and Jan Koetsier, along with Antony Paasch ‘94.
Harkness Chapel
Tickets $10, Students & Seniors $5
Free to CC students, staff & faculty
Trivia Night
Dates TBD
Connect with other alumni and parents and test your CC knowledge.
Philadelphia, New York and Boston.
OCTOBER 2011
Wednesday, Oct. 12
Department of Gender and Women's Studies Lecture by Norma Moruzzi, associate professor, political science, history, gender and women's studies, and director of the International Studies Program, at the University of Illinois at Chicago. 4:30 p.m., Ernst Common Room, Blaustein Humanities Center.
Thursday, Oct. 20 – Sunday, Oct. 23
"Foundations, Dreams, and Inspirations: The Centennial Project”
An original evening of theater celebrating the Centennial, directed by Michael Lerner ’89. The piece will be created entirely by the cast during the rehearsal process using items from the College archives, news articles, stories from alumni and faculty, and experiences at Connecticut College. Tickets: general admission $8, students $6. 8 p.m. Thursday – Sunday, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Tansill Theater.
Friday, Oct. 21 – Sunday, Oct. 23
Centennial Fall Weekend
Festivities of historic proportions officially marked the College’s Centennial with traditional Fall Weekend favorites — Harvestfest, athletic events and a picnic on Tempel Green — as well as special events like a fireworks extravaganza and the Big Event, "100 Years of Great Beginnings," a multimedia production that showcased the Connecticut College community and its impact on the world. Visitors got to sign a steel beam that will be used in the construction of the new Science Center and featured prominently in a topping-off ceremony to be scheduled at a later date. Video of all the performances from the Big Event is online.
Friday, Oct. 21
"Human Development: Evolution of an Academic Discipline in a Liberal Arts College"
A talk by Margaret Sheridan ’67, the Martha Bennett ’73 Professor Emeritus of Human Development, and Sara Radlinski, former director of the Connecticut College Children's Program. 4 p.m., Cro’s Nest.
Saturday, Oct. 22
onStage presents the Mingus Big Band
The Mingus Big Band celebrates the music of the legendary Charles Mingus with unique instrumentation including bassoon, bass clarinet, French horn and harp — instruments rarely heard in traditional jazz bands. Tickets: general admission $28, $24, $20; seniors: $25, $21.50, $18; students: $14, $12, $10. 8 p.m., Palmer Auditorium.
NOVEMBER 2011
Friday, Nov. 4
onStage presents L.A. Theater Works with “The Rivalry” by Norman Corwin
“The Rivalry” brings to life the Abraham Lincoln-Stephen Douglas debates using riveting dialogue from the original transcripts. Grammy Award-winning L.A. Theatre Works (LATW), the foremost radio theater company in the United States for more than two decades, delights audiences with its unique live-radio, theater-style performances. An LATW performance is immediate, spontaneous, and features a first-rate cast, live sound effects, and a connection to the audience rarely felt in a traditional theater setting.
Tickets: general admission $28, $24, $20; seniors: $25, $21.50, $18; students: $14, $12, $10. 8 p.m., Palmer Auditorium.
Wednesday, Nov. 9
“Connecticut College – Music of the First Decades”
Jeff Barnhart ’89, piano, and John Clark ’90, clarinet and saxophone, together with a with a full traditional ensemble, will play ragtime, cakewalk, blues, dance band and jazz tunes from 1910 to 1930. Sponsored by the Dayton Residency. Tickets: general admission $10, students and seniors $5. Free to Connecticut College students, staff and faculty. 7 p.m., Evans Hall.
Sunday, Nov. 13
onStage presents “Moby Dick”
A solo performance of the Great American Novel by Conor Lovett, from the Gare St. Lazare Players Ireland, presented in the style of epic storytellers and accompanied by musician Caoimhin O’Raghallaigh. Lovett so captivates his audience with Melville’s language and his own virtuosic performance that he received a Best Actor nomination at The Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards for the role. Presented in collaboration with Mystic Seaport. Tickets: general admission $22; seniors $20; students $11. 3 p.m., Evans Hall.
Monday, Nov. 14
Leon Redbone in Concert
Master singer and guitarist Redbone presents tunes drawn from the turn-of-the-20th-century, flapper-era radio ditties, Depression-spawned ragtime, World War II, and folk-jazz. Tickets: general admission $20, students and seniors $15. Free to Connecticut College students, staff and faculty. 7:30 p.m., Evans Hall
Friday, Nov. 18 – Saturday, Nov. 19
“Counting Down the Years”
The Department of Mathematics will host the Northeastern Section of the Mathematical Association of America, with exhibits and events highlighting the history of math at Connecticut College.
DECEMBER 2011
Friday, Dec. 2
"Great Beginnings: Conversations with Alumni "
The third of the centennial alumni speaker series featuring Alice Maggin '91, ABC World News Anchor Producer. 8 p.m., Evans Hall.
Thursday, Dec. 8
Boston Centennial Holiday Party
Celebrate the end of one century and the Great Beginning of the next. 6: 30 p.m., Algonquin Club.
Wednesday, Dec. 14
New York Centennial Holiday Party
Celebrate the end of one century and the Great Beginning of the next. 6:30 p.m., Lincoln Center, Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse.
JANUARY 2012
Monday, Jan. 23 — Friday, Feb. 24
Centennial Alumni Exhibition
Featuring works by John Cyr ’03, Sheila Gallagher ’88, Matthew Geller ’76, Kathy King ’90, Emily Luce ’97 and Jedediah Morfit ’96. Gallery 66 and Manwaring Gallery. Gallery talk and reception on Friday, Jan. 27, at 4 p.m.
FEBRUARY 2012
Centennial Chamber Music Recital – Then and Now
Saturday, February 4, 7:30 pm
Thomas Labadorf, clarinet; Rebecca Noreen, bassoon; Daniel Lee, violin; Libby Van Cleve, French horn;
and Annette Shapiro, piano
Featuring music written in 1911 and music written by composers born in 1911, including Ravel, Ives, Jeanjean, and Menotti.
Evans Hall
Tickets $10, Students & Seniors $5
Free to CC students, staff & faculty
Friday, Feb. 17
onStage presents “Fragments: Connecting Past and Present” by Brentano String Quartet
The Brentano quartet has invited six of today’s most imaginative composers to engage with unfinished pieces by Bach, Mozart, Schubert and others to weave compelling new musical works. They will perform the new compositions alongside the original ones to create an exciting evening of dialogue between music of the past and music of our present. Tickets: general admission $22, seniors $20, students: $11. 8 p.m., Evans Hall.
MARCH 2012
Saturday, March 31
onStage presents the AXIS Dance Company
AXIS Dance Company, one of the country’s most acclaimed and innovative ensembles of performers with and without disabilities, will forever change the way you think about the possibilities of the human body. The program includes “Light Shelter” by David Dorfman, chair of the Connecticut College dance department, and “Full of Words,” by choreographer and dancer Marc Brew, who is paralyzed from the chest down. Tickets: general admission $28, $24, $20; seniors: $25, $21.50, $18; students: $14, $12, $10. 8 p.m., Palmer Auditorium.
APRIL 2012
Founders Day
April 5
101st anniversary of the signing of the College Charter. Campus celebration.
Thursday, April 5
onStage presents the Asphalt Orchestra
The 12-member Asphalt Orchestra brings together some of the most exciting rock, jazz and classical players in New York City, who unleash innovative music from concert halls, rock clubs and jazz basements and take it to the streets. Choreographed and tight, this is the future of the marching band. Tickets: general admission $20, seniors: $18, students $10. 8 p.m., Palmer Auditorium. (A special daytime performance will also be presented.)
Friday, April 13, 2012
“The Centenarian Piano: Music Around 1911”
Music by Ravel, Rachmaninoff, Schoenberg, Bartok and more. Performed by Kumi Ogano on piano. Tickets: general admission $10, students and seniors $5. Free to Connecticut College students, staff and faculty. 8 p.m., Evans Hall.