Lee University will host hundreds of guests, alumni, and community leaders on Friday, Sept. 30 for Celebration 2016, planned as a “festive and colorful day” commemorating another two years of university progress.

The event will recognize the success of the five-year “Find Us Faithful” Campaign including the opening of Lee’s new School of Nursing building and further development of the southern end of the Cleveland campus.

“Many of our friends and neighbors wouldn’t recognize much of the south campus after the work we’ve done,” said Lee President Paul Conn. “There are about ten city blocks over there that look much different than the last time they were on campus, from green space and a new nursing building to another athletic field and progress on two other structures. Celebration will be a good time to pause and take stock of things.”

The campus community will also use the week of Celebration to reflect on Conn’s 30 years of transformational leadership as Lee president. The Lee faculty and staff will mark the anniversary at a dinner and concert on Monday night, Sept. 26. On Thursday morning, students will recognize Conn’s 30th in a special student-led chapel, followed by an outdoor party.

On Friday, over 40 Celebration Seminars will take place from 9-10 a.m. across campus, led by alumni, staff, community members, and other guest speakers. The presenters represent diverse experience and insight from a variety of fields and will speak on topics such as education, music, childcare, ministry, business, and more.

A Ceremony of Celebration will then begin at 10:30 a.m. in the Conn Center to dedicate the new nursing building which opened in August. The service will also feature a 300-voice choir and an orchestra. VIP alumni representatives from the last sixty years will wear caps and gowns to march alongside the faculty and Board of Directors.

Following the ceremony, the community is invited to attend an open house at Lee’s School of Nursing Building taking place from 12-2 p.m., in addition to a standup buffet in Sharp Pedestrian Mall.

Morning classes will be cancelled on Friday so that students may participate in Celebration events.

To view Friday’s Ceremony of Celebration online, visit Live Stream.

For more information on Celebration, please call University Relations at 423-614-8310 or visit Celebration.