OHIO community invited to celebrate Founders Day 2026

Ohio University will be celebrating its 222nd birthday on Founders Day 2026.

Founded on Feb. 18, 1804, Ohio University is proud of its rich history of educating students from across the state and around the world. Each year on Founders Day, the University celebrates the achievements of its students, faculty, staff and alumni, and the profound impact they have made in the region and around the world.

This year’s Founders Day activities include a celebration with cake, a special trivia night, a student showcase exhibit, a virtual 5K run and the traditional playing of the Cutler Hall Chimes.

You can read more about Founders Day and all of the events on the Founders Day website.

Founders Day events

• Celebrate with Cake! – The Office of the President will be providing cake and hot chocolate to celebrate Founders Day from noon until 2 p.m. in the Baker University Center Theater Lounge on Wednesday, Feb. 18. This event will begin immediately following the University Updates event, which will be held in the Baker University Center Theater.
• Cutler Hall Bells Chime - The Cutler Hall chimes will play “Alma Mater, Ohio” at 2:22 p.m. on Feb. 18 in honor of OHIO’s 222nd birthday.

• Founders Day Spring Student Showcase - All members of the OHIO community are invited to check out the Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections and Digital Initiatives 2nd Annual Founders Day Spring Student Showcase. The showcase will be open from 4-6 p.m. on the fifth floor of Alden Library on Feb. 18. Interns and student employees will share selections from their expertise on their projects, and light refreshments will be served. 

  This Showcase also serves as the opening of the digital and physical exhibits, "OHIO Student Life in the Postwar Years: Rediscovering the Grace Fleischer Diary, 1949-1953," curated by archives assistants Taylor Connelly, MA ’26 and Olivia Ondrik, BFA '27.

  University Libraries is also presenting additional historical exhibits to help celebrate OHIO’s birthday, including the “History of Founders Day at Ohio University” exhibit. You can find more information on all of the exhibits on the Founders Day website.

• Virtual 5K - The Ohio University Alumni Association is challenging Bobcats near and far to take part in the Founders Day Virtual 5K Challenge. All Bobcats are invited to celebrate OHIO's founding by helping the Alumni Association reach its goal of the total mileage from the Bunch of Grapes Tavern in Boston where Ohio University was chartered to Cutler Hall in Athens, equating 730 miles. You can find more information and register for the virtual 5K here.
• Founders Day Trivia – Nocterra Brewing in Powell will host a Founders Day 2026 Bar Trivia Night on Feb. 27. You can find more information and register for the Founders Day Trivia contest here.