On September 8, 2004, The College of New Jersey kicked off its 150th Anniversary—the Sesquicentennial. For the past year, we've celebrated our rich history from our founding in 1855 as New Jersey's first Normal School to our present status as one of America's great higher education success stories.

Grand Finale Homecoming Weekend

Friday–Saturday, October 28–29, 2005

Thousands of alumni, students, faculty and staff joined the College as we officially closed our Sesquicentennial Celebration and embarked on the next 150 years.

On Friday, the TCNJ Library was officially dedicated and the time capsule was buried in the basement lobby.

After the game, we extinguished the Sesquicentennial flame and lit up the night with a free fireworks show that drew the biggest "oohs" and "aahs" in 150 years! It was a fitting end to this once-in-a-lifetime celebration!

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The Origin of the Lion Mascot

During a nice spring day in 1928, after dismissing a physical education class and going into the Normal School building in Trenton, Earl H. Dean, former Director of Athletics, was approached by three men and asked to name a mascot for the Normal School. But that was only the beginning.

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