University of Evansville proud of its 50 years at Harlaxton Manor
Harlaxton College has a number of reasons to celebrate at the moment, not least because it is 50 years since the University of Evansville first welcomed its students to the campus.
The American students first arrived in 1971, but because of covid the college was unable to celebrate the anniversary properly last year.
Dr Holly Carter, who was recently appointed executive director and dean of the college after two years as interim principal, said: “We are so grateful to finally celebrate our 50th anniversary of Harlaxton Manor and the University of Evansville. The first students arrived in 1971 and our reunions were slated to be in 2021.
“With the pandemic, we moved them to this summer and the wait was worth it! Our alums have come back to visit a place they called home, a place that helped them grow and learn, and we have been overwhelmed by their love and support.
“We are very proud of 50 years of Harlaxton Manor and the University of Evansville and we look forward to 50 more.”
Harlaxton Manor is a 200-room Victorian building built in the 1850s. Over the last five decades, it has been a second home to thousands of students from the University of Evansville in Indiana. American students can spend a semester at Harlaxton, completing both general education and program-specific courses while taking the opportunity to tour other popular European destinations.
Another string to the college’s bow is its archaeological digs which have been started by the college as part of a summer school, and a new education programme.
Dr Carter explained: “Harlaxton College is elated about our summer archaeology field school. We are welcoming many students from the US and the local community, partner universities, and partner institutions to the site and to work with our students. This is the first exciting development of our new MA programme in heritage management, which will see the first students in January 2023.
“The field school and the MA are bringing new life to the college after the pandemic and opening doors to community collaboration.”
Current digs are taking place in the college grounds and in a field close to the college as part of a 30-day archaeological field school. Examples of flint tools have been discovered by the British and American volunteers who have joined the dig, revealing that this may have been a human settlement up to 8,000 years ago.
The Archaeology Field School has focussed on the Walled Garden Project. The dig began in the “Thunder House” of the long-abandoned gardener’s cottage. Participants are looking to uncover the forgotten lives of those who helped run the manor, reveal traces of the site’s prehistoric past, and investigate First World War training trenches.
“The opportunity to have a field school this summer at Harlaxton makes me beyond grateful,” said Emily Stammitti, PhD, program coordinator and director of the Archaeology Field School at Harlaxton.
“The support we have received from both the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as the county of Lincolnshire, has been inspiring. Our hope is to report findings after the conclusion of the dig and to continue this good work into the future.”
As executive director of the college, Dr Carter is also responsible for weddings and conferences at the Manor which can offer impressive halls and rooms unrivalled in the area.
It is Dr Carter’s aim to encourage the community to make more use of the manor and to open it up to the public which has been the case with more public open days being offered.
She said: “Harlaxton means so much to me and to so many people in Evansville and beyond. In my new role, I will endeavor to keep the manor and the college thriving for generations to come.”
