UF Concludes Sesquicentennial Celebration
The year-long celebration of the University of Florida's 150th birthday drew to a close at the end of 2003, and a birthday bash was held on December 10 in the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom. The ceremony included the unveiling of the new UF ceremonial mace to be used at official university events and a performance by the University Gospel Choir. A giant birthday cake, made by Mildred's Big City Food in Gainesville, fed more than 700 people.
During the sesquicentennial celebration in 2003, several UF history books were published. Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future by Carl Van Ness (university archivist) and Kevin McCarthy (English) is a UF pictorial history book, including never-before-seen photographs and little known facts about the university. African Americans at the University of Florida, by McCarthy and Betty J. Stewart-Dowdell (Office for Academic Support and Institutional Services), provides details about the history of African American groups on campus. Seven authors came together to write about the history of women at UF in Women at the University of Florida. The authors, who have a combined 184 years at UF, include McCarthy, Mary Ann Burg (Women's Health Research Center), Phyllis Meek (Dean of Students Office), Constance Shehan (sociology), Anita Spring (anthropology and African studies), Nina Stoyan-Rosenzweig (health affairs), and Betty Taylor (law).
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