The first Founders' Day commemoration took place on December 11, 1913. The first printed program held in the University Archives is dated 1922 and all that are available have been scanned and uploaded to this collection. When possible, speeches or entire event recordings are also available.

President William H. Wilder gave one of the speeches at the 1913 ceremony. He quoted a paragraph of the Central Illinois Methodist Conference Education Committee's report (copied below in its entirety). In 1922, part of the quote was inscribed on the University's west gate, named the Founders' Gate. The University has since adopted this quote as a guiding philosophy, and it is usually cited at Founders' Day Convocations.

"The Methodist Church, in the West and Southwest, stands in a position of incalculable responsibility to the great wave of population overspreading the valley of the Mississippi. Destiny seems to point out this valley as the depository of the great heart of the nation. From this center mighty pulsations, for good or evil, must in future flow, which shall not only affect the fortunes of the republic, but reach in their influence, other and distant nations of the earth. The advances herein reported which are being made by the Methodists on the subject of education in the bounds of the Illinois Conference, flatter the idea that, in so far as our section of the church is concerned and especially the division of it embraced in the Illinois Conference, cheering success will attend our future efforts to contribute our share towards the general education of the great masses. In addition to all other motives conspiring to lead us forward in this noble work, patriotism or the love of country is not the least. The nature of our constitutions and laws demands it. The tenure and price of our liberties are involved in it. The sovereignty invested in the whole people imperiously requires it; and recent events, as they have been connected with the civil questions which have agitated the nation, some of which questions have sprung from the tide of foreign emigration setting in upon American soil, call loudly for the work of education to go forward-the education of nothing less than the whole American mind; an education, too, that shall be American in all its essential principles."

[Education Committee Report, Journal and records of the ... session of the Illinois Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1854, p. 19.]

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Programs from 2023

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Founders' Day Convocation (2023 Program and video), Illinois Wesleyan University

Programs from 2022

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Founders' Day Convocation (2022 Program, video and slides), Illinois Wesleyan University

Programs from 2021

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Founders' Day Convocation (2021 Program and video), Illinois Wesleyan University

Programs from 2020

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Founders' Day Convocation (2020 Program and video), Illinois Wesleyan University

Programs from 2019

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Founders' Day Convocation (2019 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

Programs from 2018

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Founders' Day Convocation (2018 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

Programs from 2017

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Founders' Day Convocation (2017 Program and video), Illinois Wesleyan University

Programs from 2016

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Founders' Day Convocation (2016 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

Programs from 2015

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Founders' Day Convocation (2015 Program and video), Illinois Wesleyan University

Programs from 2014

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Founders' Day Convocation (2014 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

Programs from 2013

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Founders' Day Convocation (2013 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

Programs from 2012

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Founders' Day Convocation (2012 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

Programs from 2011

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Founders' Day Convocation (2011 Program and video), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (2010 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

Programs from 2009

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Founders' Day Convocation (2009 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (2008 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (2007 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (2006 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (2005 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (2004 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (2003 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (2002 Program and video), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (2001 Program and video), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (2000 Program and video), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1999 Program and video), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1998 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1997 Program and video), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1996 Program and video), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1995 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1994 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1993 Program and video), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1992 Program and video), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1991 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1990 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1989 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1988 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1987 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1986 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1985 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1984 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1983 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1982 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1981 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1980 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1979 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1974 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1973 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1972 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1971 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1970 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1969 Program and audio), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1968 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1967 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1966 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1965 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1964 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1963 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1962 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1961 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1960 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1958 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1957 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1956 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1955 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1954 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1953 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1952 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1951 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1950 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1949 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1947 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Dinner (1947 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1946 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1945 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1944 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1943 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1941 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1940 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1929 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1927 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

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Founders' Day Convocation (1924 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

Programs from 1922

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Founders' Day Convocation (1922 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University