photo by Brien Jackson
Much of campus has visited the Hayden-Clark Alumni Center for orientation sessions, guest speakers or other special events, but visitors’ eyes often pass over the novelties the building has on display.
Completed in 2011, the Hayden-Clark Alumni Center is dedicated to emphasizing Bradley’s history and creating bridges between alumni and both current and prospective students. Here are a few key displays to check out when visiting the Alumni Center:
Lydia Moss Bradley exhibit
The first floor of the Alumni Center is dominated by two large exhibits; one is dedicated to the life of our school’s founder, Lydia Moss Bradley. The exhibit explores much of Lydia’s early life, including her marriage to Tobias Bradley, the founding of Bradley Polytechnic Institute and the school’s evolution into the four-year university campus knows today. There are quite a few relics on display as well, including examples of jewelry and a glass luncheon set owned by Lydia herself.
Mark Turner Library
Near the Lydia exhibit is the Mark Turner Library. The small library was a gift from Christine and Mark Turner (class of 1980), and it contains yearbooks from previous graduating classes. A marble fireplace modeled after the one in Lydia Moss Bradley’s home on Moss Avenue can be seen inside the library and the Lydia Moss Bradley exhibit on the other side.
School History – 1940s-present
On the opposite side of the floor from the Lydia memorabilia is an exhibit displaying the evolution of Bradley from the 1940s to present day. The display cases in this area hold a number of items and sports memorabilia that students and faculty would often use or wear during those eras. There are even small replicas of a common dormitory through the decades embedded in a nearby wall, allowing for a close-up (albeit miniature) view of dorm life over the years.
Alumni Quad and Circle of Pride
Just outside the Alumni Center is the Alumni Quad, a large open space used for campus-wide events, football games and, if the weather is right, tanning in the sun. The Circle of Pride, which opened in September 2016, accompanies the quad and bares a number of Bradley flags and benches.
In addition, the Alumni Center has numerous offices used by faculty to keep connections with alum. The balcony offers a gorgeous view of the quad, and a grand meeting room (closed off to students) is used to maintain relationships that will further enhance Lydia and the university’s legacy.
The Hayden-Clark Alumni Center allows campus to be much more appreciative of Bradley’s history, so make sure to stop and look around.
