One thing I love about being part of the Marshall community is stopping every once in a while, taking a look around, and marveling at all the people who bring this campus to life and the range of gifts that they bring to the table.
A university campus is an amazing place to be, in that respect. Great scientific minds, musicians, businessmen and women, public service-minded leaders, artists of all kinds, athletes and coaches, educators — they’re all here. They’re from all backgrounds and all corners of the country and the world. They cross paths on their way to get coffee or chicken at the Memorial Student Center. They stop and chat, share some laughs. They meet up and make plans — sometimes about positive changes here at Marshall, sometimes just about gameday and the weekend ahead. They root for each other. They dream.
They will each go on to leave their own unique marks, but all carrying forward the goodwill they experienced here at Marshall.
This year has me thinking a lot about what we pass along.
As our nation nears its 250th birthday in July, Marshall University has been celebrating 100 years of Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s legacy. In 1926, Woodson established Negro History Week, the first coordinated effort to more broadly recognize the contributions and history of African Americans. A century later, we celebrate it as Black History Month, still endeavoring to ensure that all stories are part of America’s story.
That’s a legacy worth pursuing, and one that Marshall University has been helping to extend not only this year, but every year, through its Dr. Carter G. Woodson Lyceum. In this issue of Marshall Magazine, we honor that ongoing effort and highlight Marshall’s multi-faceted centennial celebration, a joint effort between Marshall and other community groups.
There are other legacies celebrated in this issue as well. We’ll introduce you to Dr. Allen Young, one of the talented alumni who donned the fur suit to entertain the Herd faithful when he was a student, arguably one of the greatest to honor Marshall’s proud mascot tradition. We reminisce with Herb Stanley, the businessowner behind The Varsity and The Union, two establishments that were the backdrop of many a fond memory for generations of Marshall alumni.
We take a look at the legacy we’re building for the future — with a glimpse at the new developments near campus, the new IDEA District on western side of campus and the Foundry, an initiative with the city of Huntington, on the eastern side. We’re also excited to share stories of others who are part of our university’s story — students, employees and alumni — and their efforts to extend Marshall’s spirit and tradition of excellence in their own ways. Their commitments, all quite different, brighten the world around them.
Marshall’s legacy of hope, resilience, pulling together and moving forward is evident in so many individuals tied to this university. How can we not be proud?
We all carry that spirit with us as we leave our marks in the world — in the stories we tell, in the sizable portions of our closets that are dedicated to Kelly green, in our commitment to doing good work and doing it well, and in the ways that we come together, making plans for positive change, for gameday, and for keeping Marshall’s legacy alive.
When you see a chance to join in that spirit, please do. If you can create an opportunity to celebrate it, please don’t hesitate. We’re all part of this story, and we know it’s a good one. Let’s make sure that, 100 years from now, they’re still celebrating.
Jean Hardiman, Editor