Founders’ Day Weekend connects Sweet Briar traditions across the decades

Posted on September 21, 2016 by Janika Carey

Each fall, Sweet Briar College honors its creators with a walk to Monument Hill, the founding family’s final resting place overlooking campus. There is a service, students place daisies on Daisy Williams’ grave, and seniors wear their robes for the first time.


Students walk to Monument Hill during Founders’ Day 2014. Students walk to Monument Hill during Founders’ Day 2014.


This year is no different: At 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, the campus community will make its annual trek up Monument Hill. The march will be preceded by a Founders’ Day Convocation at 3 p.m. in Murchison Lane Auditorium, a tradition that was recently revived.

But one thing that is completely new to the 2016 Founders’ Day festivities is another, not-as-old Sweet Briar tradition: the Dell Party. After the walk, from 5 to 8 p.m., students, faculty, staff, alumnae and friends will get together in the Dell for music and dinner from local food trucks.

Founders’ Day Weekend continues on Saturday with the Bedford County Hunt, which will cast the hounds near Sweet Briar’s green barn at 8 a.m. (The riding program asks that spectators refrain from bringing their own dogs to the event.) The student-led Founders’ Day Dance at 8 p.m. will round out the weekend.

More information about the schedule is available here. Other coinciding campus events can be found at sbc.edu/featured-events.