[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/williammcmaster.jpg” caption=”The University is celebrating the 125th anniversary of its founding by Senator William McMaster. To keep the community up-to-date on anniversary happenings, the University has launched mcmaster125.ca, an online hub for all things quasquicentennial.”]A new online hub for the University's 125th anniversary has brought together
McMaster's past, present and future.

McMaster125.ca is the digital home for all things quasquicentennial, including archival
photos and video, contests, trivia and an events calendar.

The site is also home to the People of Impact contest, which asks the University
community to help decide who has left the greatest mark on McMaster.

The University has a number of anniversary events planned, including burying a time
capsule filled with items chosen by the class of 2012. The capsule will be buried in a
garden to be planted between Edwards Hall and Alumni Memorial Hall and will be
opened in 2062.

Campus celebrations will also include Founder's Day activities on April 23, marking the
day in 1887 on which the bill uniting Woodstock Hall and Toronto Baptist College into
the new McMaster University received royal assent.

“There is a great deal of history at McMaster and we want to celebrate that,” said Karen
McQuigge, the University's director of alumni advancement. “But we also want to take a
look forward to the next 25, 50, 125 years. We've accomplished at lot at McMaster, and
we have a great deal more to accomplish.”

President Patrick Deane talked about the milestone anniversary in the March edition of
his video series This month with the President.

“Our record has been extraordinary in many ways, and we need to be thinking about
fulfilling the promise of these first 125 years with even greater ambitions for the years
beyond this,” he said.

A number of areas on campus will also mark their own anniversaries this year. The
DeGroote School of Business and the MBA program will both turn 50, the biomedical
science and biochemistry programs will turn 45 and the engineering and society
program will turn 20.

A special 125th anniversary committee chaired by McQuigge, with representation from
students, faculty and staff, has been meeting since last year to coordinate and plan
anniversary celebrations.