As Florida State University celebrates its 175th anniversary, FSU Libraries’ Special Collections & Archives is inviting alumni and community members to contribute their personal stories, memories and photos to the university’s historical record through the “175 Years in 175 Stories” digital exhibit project.  

University Archivist Taylor Henning and her team have spent nearly two years developing the exhibit, collecting stories of significant events, people and moments in the university’s history.  

“It should be a long-lasting digital exhibit that’s up for years, one that people can refer back to, to learn about university history,” Henning said. “My main goal is for people to be able to see themselves in it.” 

To achieve that goal, Henning and her team invite the public to contribute their own stories and memories to the exhibit.  

“It’s pretty much impossible to tell the whole complete story, and we didn’t want anyone to feel left out of the story or the project,” Henning said. “So, I think the community submissions piece of it is a good way for everyone to be involved.” 

Community members can submit stories about their experiences at FSU, the history of a campus organization or college, or memories passed down by loved ones. The goal is to capture a range of experiences that reflect the university’s rich history. 

The exhibit also celebrates the progress FSU has made in the past 175 years. 

“In a lot of ways, I think the archive is a celebration of how far we’ve come as an institution,” Henning said. “We started in one schoolhouse, and then eventually two dorms. Now that’s become a gigantic campus, an R1 institution that contributes life-changing research to the world, so it’s really been a journey.” 

FSU Libraries is also celebrating the university’s 175 birthday by hosting interactive events at Strozier Library, including a “Bring Your History” time capsule event on Nov. 18. Visitors can also attend a scrapbooking event on Dec. 2 and explore Special Collections to discover student life throughout FSU’s history. 

To share your submission for the “175 Years in 175 Stories” digital exhibit, visit the Libraries Special Collections and Archives webpage. To view upcoming FSU 175 events, visit 175.fsu.edu. 

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