Mercer's Must-Attend Events
Life at Mercer University is rich in tradition and fun annual events that keep you involved on campus! Here are some of our favorite activities that you can participate in as a student.
Fall Semester
1. Bear Fair
Held at the start of each academic year, Bear Fair is designed to introduce new Mercerians to our many campus clubs and organizations. This event offers students a chance to explore what each campus organization is all about, while also providing opportunities to connect with local organizations and businesses in Macon. Students can sign up for as many or as few organizations as they would like!
2. Climbing the Tower
For more than a century, first-year students have climbed the tower of the Godsey Administration Building to sign their names and leave their mark on the University. Students are led by their Peer Advisor through the Administration Building, all the way up to the highest point in the building. The entire campus is visible from the tower, and the memories made with peers are irreplaceable.
3. Be a Good Neighbear
Mercer’s largest service event of the year involves hundreds of students in a day of service that benefits the Macon community each fall. Led by MerServe, an organization on campus, students have the chance to become involved in many local projects in Macon and the surrounding area.
4. Family Weekend
Each fall, students can invite their families to campus to get a glimpse of the Mercer experience. The weekend is full of activities for both students and parents, including walking tours, tailgating, and more. It’s a great way to give families an opportunity to see what campus life is like at Mercer.
5. Pilgrimage to Penfield
To celebrate Mercer’s 1833 founding in Penfield, Georgia, students pay homage to the University’s roots by making a “pilgrimage” each fall to the place where Mercer was born. This pilgrimage is organized by the Student Government Association, and it is traditional for students to attend the event with the orientation group they are assigned to when they arrive at Mercer!
6. Homecoming
Mercerians look forward to Homecoming each year, enjoying mixers, tailgating, spirit competitions, and cheering the Bears to victory in football. Student groups come together to compete in various themed activities organized by Quadworks throughout the week leading up to the Homecoming game. Then, at the football game, the Homecoming king and queen are crowned!
7. Christmas Tree Lighting
Students gather to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season and enjoy carols performed by the Mercer Singers and theatrical readings led by faculty. The festivities culminate with the lighting of the Mercer Christmas Tree, followed by Winter Wonderland in Mercer Village. Mercer partners with Macon Area Habitat for Humanity to light up campus and literally “light more homes” by raising money for those in need.
Spring Semester
8. Founders’ Day
Each year, the Student Government Association welcomes a prominent Mercerian back to campus to share how Mercer influenced them. Founders’ Day began as a way to celebrate Jesse Mercer’s birthday and has since become a beloved annual event held every February. The Student Government Association hands out commemorative gifts at each Founders’ Day for those who attend.
9. BEAR Day
The entire undergraduate community participates in this showcase event, where students present outstanding research projects to their peers and faculty members. BEAR Day is a two-day event that features students from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the School of Business, the School of Music, the School of Engineering, the College of Education, the College of Health Professions, and the College of Professional Advancement presenting their research. There are poster presentations on Thursday, followed by oral presentations on Friday. This event also includes senior art students showcasing their work at the McEachern Art Center downtown.
10. Bearstock
Mercer’s spring music festival, Bearstock, showcases music artists from a variety of genres. Bearstock has taken place in Hawkins Arena as well as Cruz Plaza and includes free food, merchandise, and a free concert for Mercer students! The concert experience features local bands alongside the headliner artists. Headliner artists from previous years have included Jesse McCartney, Doechii, and MAX!
