Hancock Kicks Off Centennial With Time Capsule Opening Event
SEPTEMBER 23, 2020 -- Allan Hancock College rang in its Centennial Celebration on Sept. 23, as current and former college administrators and faculty members gathered to open the college’s 75th Anniversary time capsule during a special live-streamed event.
“Opening the time capsule was a wonderful way to celebrate 100 years of changing the odds for our students,” said Hancock Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers, Ph.D. “Hancock is a great place and we are very proud to be able to share a piece of AHC’s history and legacy with our community.”
The time capsule was buried on the Santa Maria campus in 1995 and contained a trove of interesting items connected to the college’s history. Items inside the capsule included photos of the campus, printed brochures and other promotional materials for the college’s clubs and programs, as well as buttons, pins, and other materials from the college’s 75th anniversary, the year the capsule was buried. A VHS tape with several promotional videos for the college and a “floppy” computer disk with the capsule’s contents were also among the items revealed during the event.
Special guests at the event included former Hancock Superintendent/President Ann Foxworthy Lewellen, Ph.D.,1995 Hancock ASBG President Daryl Christensen, and Hancock history professor Roger Hall. The guests joined Walthers on the main stage of the PCPA’s Marian Theatre as they pulled out items from the time capsule and discussed the college’s history and impact on the community.
“When we buried this time capsule, we wanted to let the people in the community know how important the college was and the role it played for the citizens in the college district,” said Foxworthy Lewellen, who was the Hancock president when the capsule was buried. “We wanted to capture a slice of this moment in 1995 and it has been fun reliving that time.”
For Christensen, the capsule brought back fond memories of his time at Hancock.
“For me, it was incredible to see the old photos of the faculty and staff and students who were here at the time. It’s really been great to see this and reminisce about what it was like 25 years ago,” he said.
Hall reflected on the advances in technology on campus since the capsule was buried.
“As someone who teaches history, it’s nice to be a part of history occasionally,” said Hall. “What struck me about looking at these artifacts was how much of what we did was paper-based. So much of the technology we used had changed in the last 25 years. Whatever the technology is, on paper or online, the mission of trying to get people to where they want to be is still the great joy of this process and being a part of this college and this community.”
The event marked the official start to the college’s Centennial Celebration. To mark the college’s 100th anniversary, Hancock will celebrate its rich history and long-time commitment to changing the odds for students by hosting virtual and live events open to all members of the community throughout the 2020-21 academic year, culminating with the commencement of its 100th graduating class in May 2021. To learn more about the centennial and view photos, videos, and other multimedia related to the college’s 100-year history, visit https://hancockcollege.edu/100/.
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Photo Caption: Allan Hancock College celebrated its 100th anniversary by opening a time capsule from 1995.
