Ceremony will feature the sight and sounds of newly renovated Hinkle Bell Tower
On Thursday, the bells will once again be ringing at Alfred State College (ASC) just in time for the inauguration of Dr. Steven Mauro as president.
After extensive renovations, the Hinkle Bell Tower is now restored with each of the five bells gleaming and in pitch-perfect condition. The combined weight of the five bells is approximately 3.5 tons and the tower is 63-feet tall. Each bell is inscribed with a milestone of Former President Walter C. Hinkle’s life and was dedicated to him in 1973. In 2023 Alfred State is planning 50th anniversary celebrations for both Hinkle Bell Tower and the MacKenzie Residential Complex.
The inauguration of the 13th president for Alfred State College on Oct. 20 is a time for reflection on the past, celebration of success, and encouragement for an even brighter future. The college’s history rings true to how the region has evolved. Starting as the State School of Agriculture in 1908, Alfred State has adapted and grown just as WNY residents have proven to be agile and resilient.
“Agriculture and the beautiful farmland surrounding us are alive and strong to this day, but that doesn’t mean that farmers haven’t evolved and advanced over the years,” said Alfred State Chief of Staff Wendy Dresser-Recktenwald. “My family knows this firsthand and operates a small farm winery and vineyard. There are also examples of agritourism, attractions, and events such as wedding venues, pick-your-own operations, hayrides, and corn mazes this time of year. While farmers have adapted, ASC has evolved into a preeminent institution of higher education with more than 80 majors and is a massive economic engine for the region to supply the country with much-needed skilled employees and creative entrepreneurs.”
As part of inaugural celebrations, Alfred State has made more of the college’s history available online. Working with the archives at Hinkle Memorial Library, Alfred State’s UX/UI Designer James Reese has utilized modern Adobe neural filters to enhance historical photos. This process is non-destructive yet adds new contextual pixels that are not actually present in original images for clarity and the addition of color. Longtime staffer Paul Welker is overseeing current interpretive text and summaries of historic milestones.
“The creative team at Alfred State has been inspired by the inauguration to bring the past to life,” said Chief Marketing Officer Russ Nunley. “We’ve added more content online and will incorporate music from past concert choirs and bands into the inaugural ceremony. Some of the team’s work is debuting for the inauguration but as you can imagine, there is a ton of great stories in the archives that will be valuable content to share and celebrate through modern channels such as the web and social media for years to come.”
Watch as workers install the newly refurbished bells in the Hinkle Bell Tower:
