Celebrating 149 Years of Hopkins

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Published Feb 18, 2025

Commemoration Day is a special Hopkins tradition, marking the inauguration of our first president, Daniel Coit Gilman, on Feb. 22, 1876. It is a chance to look back at how far we've come as a university and celebrate everything that makes Hopkins a global leader in education, research, and innovation.

This year's Commemoration Day is extra special because we're gearing up for something HUGE — our Sesquicentennial Celebration in 2026, celebrating 150 years of incredible discoveries, groundbreaking ideas, and all the ways Hopkins has made its mark on the world. The 150th celebration is not only about honoring the past 149 years; it is about building excitement, celebrating the present, and looking to the future.

Hopkins Retrospective is celebrating Commemoration Day on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, from noon - 2 p.m. in Great Hall, Levering Hall. It is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with Hopkins history and celebrate the values that still drive us today: curiosity, collaboration, and making an impact.

If you cannot make it over to Homewood, several schools and divisions will join the celebration this year:

Wednesday, Feb. 19:

  • 12 p.m.: Mt. Washington North Campus – A and B Suites
  • 2 p.m.: Johns Hopkins at Keswick – Café

Thursday, Feb. 20:

  • 9-10 a.m.: Bloomberg School of Public Health – Main lobby
  • 12-1 p.m.: Carey Business School – Main lobby
  • 12 p.m.: Mt. Washington North Campus – A and B Suites
  • 7 p.m.: Peabody Conservatory – Peabody Semi-Formal

Friday, Feb. 21, at noon:

  • Krieger School of Arts and Sciences – Homewood Campus - Great Hall, Levering Hall
  • School of Advanced International Studies | Hopkins Bloomberg Center – Breezeway, first-floor lobby
  • School of Education – Mt. Washington South Campus, McCauley Hall
  • School of Medicine – Main lobby
  • School of Nursing – Main lobby
  • Whiting School of Engineering – Homewood Campus - Great Hall, Levering Hall

Monday, Feb. 24:

  • Noon (GMT +8) – Hopkins Nanjing Center
  • 5:30 p.m. (GMT +1) – School of Advanced International Studies Europe, also celebrating SAIS Europe 70th Anniversary