Sugar Day
Image: Sugar Day
A day of Scholarship, Reflection, and Celebration
Organized by the Office of Scholarly Endeavors, this year’s Sugar Day will take place on April 6, 2023!
Sugar Day continues to be one of the oldest campus traditions, though it has been celebrated in many forms since its founding. Beginning in 1856 as a celebration of collecting maple syrup, fondly called the “Day of Running Sap” by the Class of 1946, the day demonstrates community and service in varying capacities. In recent years, Sugar Day was restarted as a day of scholarship to showcase student presentations and academia.
2023 Sugar Day Schedule
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
Pre-Conference Check-In
1-5 p.m., Career Collaboratory
Career Development Office
Sugar Day Kick-Off Event
“An Evening of Hiram Writers”
7 p.m., Alumni Heritage Room
Kirsten Parkinson and Mary Quade
Thursday, April 6, 2023
VIP Visitor and Last-Minute Presenter Conference Check-In
8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Career Collaboratory
Career Development Office
Guided Hikes
8-10 a.m., Meet at the Kennedy Center
Sarah Mabey, Environmental Studies
Scarborough School of Business & Communication Experiential Learning Presentations
8:30-11 a.m., East Hall Forum
Andrew White, Scarborough School of Business & Communication
Chemistry & Biochemistry Capstones
8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Pritchard Room
Steven Romberger, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Educational Studies Research and Capstones
8:30-10 a.m., Koritansky
Kelly NewVine, Educational Studies
Physics Capstones
9:30-10 a.m., Pritchard Room
Mark Taylor, Physics
Biology APEX Seminars
10-11 a.m., Gerstacker 123
Nick Hirsch, Biology
English Capstones
10:15 to 10:45 a.m., Pritchard Room
Kirsten Parkinson, English
Sugar Day ePoster and Pitch
11 a.m to 12 p.m., Hayden Auditorium
Courtney A. Mauck, First-Year Program
All-Campus Maple-Themed Lunch
Dining Hall
Biomedical Humanities Capstones
1-3 p.m., Pritchard Room
Emily Waples, Biomedical Humanities
Environmental Studies Capstone
1-2:30 p.m., East Hall Forum
Debbie Kasper, Environmental Studies
Poster Session & Student Art Show
3-4 p.m., Gelbke
Capstones and Courses Represented: Sociology and Crime, Law, & Justice Capstones; Nursing Junior Research; Management and Marketing Research Capstones; Computer Science and Applied Computer Science Capstones; BCHM 36800: Intermediate Biochemistry Honors; CRLJ 20500: Victimology Honors; ENGL 25700: History of Film & Cinema Honors; Biochemistry and Chemistry Research; Library Archives Research
Theatre Capstone Performance
“I Am What I Am: A Celebration of LGBTQ Representation in Plays and Musicals”
4-5 p.m., Renner Theatre
Elizabeth Bauman, Performing Arts
Sugar Day Social – Alumni-Only Reception
4-5 p.m., Kennedy Center
Sugar Day Social – All-Campus Networking Event
5-7 p.m., Kennedy Center
Computer Science and Applied Computer Science Capstones
6-7:30 p.m., Colton 106
Louis Oliphant, Computer Science
Choir and Jazz Ensemble Concert
7 p.m., Frohring Music Hall
Isaac Winland, Performing Arts
2022 Event Photos
Past Event Programs
History of Sugar Day
The first Sugar Day was held in 1854 when Alvah Udall invited students and faculty from the College to his camp for a sugar stir. Because the event was so well-received, it was repeated and added to with various celebrations and general merriment year after year. It became a tradition, first sponsored by faculty, and later by an ominous group of senior students known as the Student Senate On Campus Activities Committee. Sugar Day never fell on the same day and few students were “in the know” about the event each year, as it was of great importance to keep the date a secret. The seniors took it so far as tricking other Hiram students and faculty from knowing the event date. According to a 1966 Advance newspaper article, it was believed to be the “most tightly guarded secret in the history of Hiram College.” Any test that was scheduled for the impromptu Sugar Day was postponed.
Past Sugar Day Photos
Alvah Udall George Udall, Sugar Day in the 1930’s Group Photo – Sugar Day 1960’s Spring Fever – 1960’s Tug of War – 1961