A new landmark — and a soon-to-be tradition — is taking shape at the University of Northern Iowa. The Sesquicentennial Bell has been permanently placed in Campanile Plaza, and organizers of UNI’s 150th anniversary are inviting students to stop by and ring it as the fall semester winds down.
Randy Pilkington, co-chair of UNI’s Sesquicentennial Celebration, says the bell normally won’t be set up to ring. But for Finals Week, that will change. The clapper will be put back inside Monday morning and will remain there through the week so students can mark major milestones.
Pilkington says the hope is simple: students will ring the silver-and-purple bell once to celebrate finishing exams — though he expects it may get a little more attention than that.
“This will be a new tradition for us,” Pilkington says, noting students will likely have fun with the opportunity. “We’ll probably be hearing the bell clanging for most of the week.”
The bell is meant to symbolize accomplishment, whether that’s completing finals or, for seniors, celebrating graduation and the transition into alumni life.
Pilkington says the sound won’t be subtle. With the Campanile’s existing carillon bells already audible across campus, he expects this bell to carry just as far — especially in the heart of central campus.
“It will resonate throughout all of central campus,” he says. “It’ll be quite noticeable that this will be going off and students will be having a good time.”
For most of the year, the bell won’t be available to ring, but students are still encouraged to visit it — and even rub it for good luck. Pilkington says building traditions like this matters as UNI reflects on 150 years and looks ahead to what comes next.
“It’s a real milestone for UNI,” Pilkington says. “But part of that bold future has to come from traditions — something students, faculty, and staff remember and carry with them when they leave.”
The bell helped open the year-long anniversary celebration in September, when it was rung three times to represent the university’s past, present, and future. More Sesquicentennial events are planned throughout the year.
