Pieces of Simpson College will be buried beneath the surface next week as Simpson kicks off the Sesquicentennial Celebration with the burial of a time capsule that will be reopened in 50 years.

The capsule will be buried under a new Simpson College seal on Sept. 24 near the gates of College Hall.

The new seal will read: “This time capsule was buried at the celebration of Simpson College’s Sesquicentennial on Sept. 24, 2010. The current student body chose the contents for the capsule. The time capsule should be opened on Sept. 24, 2060 when in celebration of Simpson College’s Bicentennial.”

Many students and faculty members are excited to learn more about the capsule and eager to help fill it as much as possible.

“The goal is to receive something from each group on campus so that we can represent each student at Simpson College right now,” junior Nicole Mulder said. “It is a great way to look at how the students before us set a path for us to follow and shows that we are adding to that path today.”

Mulder, along with senior Steven Alan Ramsey, is a co-chair of the student 150th committee. The committee will be holding meetings frequently until the capsule is buried in the ground.

“We are currently working on sending e-mails and information out to students and the organizations on campus, so they will have an opportunity to include a meaningful item into the time capsule,” Mulder said.

Pierce Brothers Repair, a welding company that has been operating in Indianola since 1958, built the capsule for the college.

The capsule is not very big, but the committee is still going to fit as many items inside of it as possible. According to Ramsey, it is similar to the size of a safe deposit box.

“The hope is that the capsule will contain photos, news clippings, letters from President Byrd, audio clippings and DVD’s of popular music,” Ramsey said. “The hope is that students will be able to create a snapshot in history.”

“A copy of the plaque is already on file with (the College Librarian/Archivist) Cyd Dyer,” Professor of Theatre Arts Jennifer Nostrala said.

Current students, alumni and professors have big hopes for the future of Simpson College.

“I believe that the time capsule represents the success of Simpson over 150 years,” Mulder said. “It also captures the generation of people that is at Simpson College right now.”

Students are encouraged to attend the burial of the capsule, and to see it as an opportunity to take part in the history of Simpson.

Mulder and Ramsey are excited about what the capsule means for the college. They say it is a great time to be at Simpson and to take part in such a unique opportunity.

“I feel like the time capsule is just the beginning of a great year,” said Ramsey.

For ways to upload your pictures so they are included in the time capsule go to the Facebook group “Add Photos for the Simpson College TIME CAPSULE!!”