Graduating seniors, along with their friends and families, joined A.S. staff in front of Kendall Hall to shovel dirt over a metal box full of memories, not to see the sun for another 50 years.
Event student intern for the Office of Alumni, Avery Simpson, helped organize the event. She said the capsule includes staff and student photos, signed class t-shirts, examples of current technology, gas receipts, Greek life and club memorabilia, campus maps and things that are significant for students at the time.
Simpson is graduating this year with a bachelor’s degree in Recreation, Hospitality and Parks Management. “You’re literally walking over history,” she said as eager students posed with the metal box before it was buried. Beneath their feet, you can read the years embossed on the cement, dating back to 1931. Simpson gave a brief speech ahead of the burial, reiterating the sentimental importance and the history behind the event.
Commissioner of Community Affairs Zion Fozo also spoke at the ceremony. She encourages fellow Chico students to “seize the day before you run out of days to seize.” Fozo, a political science major, is also graduating with the class of 2026.
Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Isaac Brundage, gave a speech in place of President Perez. In the crowd, he recognized students from his first orientation group while working at Chico State. He encouraged students to reflect on their time at Chico, what they’ve learned, how they’ve been challenged, and how they’ve left an impact.
After the capsule had been nestled in its resting place, members of the class of 2026 were encouraged to step forward and cover the box with dirt waiting in buckets. Seniors Jocelyn Traub and Beatrice Williams excitedly joined the crowd.
Students who wanted to contribute items to the capsule were given cards to fill out with their favorite memories at Chico State. Williams added that her favorite memory was teaching spin classes at the Wildcat Recreation Center and Traub said hanging out with friends and enjoying our beautiful campus.
The tradition of burying a snapshot into student life connects generations of Chico Students and community members. This campus, which means so much to the people who inhabit it, is always changing and time is the best way to achieve the perspective to witness those changes in full.
From freshmen on their orientation tours to the seniors who are taking their final walks around campus, the tiles in front of Kendall Hall serve as a reminder for us all to make our mark and make it last.
Caden Huntley can be reached at [email protected]
