December 20, 2025
Twinkling holiday lights and crisp winter air set the stage outside Old Main as members of the Mayville State University (MSU) family and community members gathered for “Light Up the Legacy,” a celebration that marked more than the lighting of a Christmas tree. Held outside the historic flagship building of the Mayville State campus on Tuesday evening, Dec. 16, 2025, the program offered a moment to pause and reflect on a space in transition - one rooted in more than a century of campus life and now steadily taking shape for the future.
For the alumni, faculty, students, contractors, and community members in attendance, the evening carried both familiarity and promise. As the glow of the lights illuminated Old Main’s stone facade, the ceremony symbolized a shared transformation: honoring the building’s enduring legacy while looking ahead to the role it will play for generations of students yet to come.
Dr. Brittany Hagen, MSU alum and faculty member in the Division of Education, attended the festivities with her family.
“Old Main is the heart and soul of the campus, right in the middle,” she said. “Since Old Main is not safe for us to gather inside yet, due to the construction, we gathered for the tree lighting event at the contractors’ office house across the street.”
Attendees grabbed cups of steaming hot chocolate in the house’s kitchen, and a fire outside kept them warm from the North Dakota chill. Members of MSU’s choir and band brought their musical talents to the program.
In his introductory remarks, MSU President Dr. Brian Van Horn reflected on the ties that bind the campus and community. As a symbol of learning, tradition, and resilience for generations, Old Main’s renewal marks a bright new chapter.
The anticipation continued to build as the audience counted down from 10, waiting for community members and Mayville State supporters Dante Agnes and Maxine Garrett to connect the electrical cords that would light the tree. As the tree lit up with dazzling Christmas lights, attendees shouted, “Light up the legacy!” Their cheers echoed off the walls of Old Main before the singing of “Alma Mater” began.
Mayville State junior Hazel Jensen entertained those gathered with her reading of ‘Twas the Night of Old Main’s New Light, a playful take on ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.
After the lighting of the tree and singing of carols, attendees strolled passed the education building to the Campus Center, where dinner and additional festivities were held. Alan O’Neil, an MSU alum and retiring CEO of Unity Medical Center in Grafton, N.D., marveled at the students walking by.
“I’m a people watcher, as it goes with the healthcare territory,” explained O’Neil. “I was amazed by the way the students carried themselves with purpose and vision.”
As anyone in the MSU community will say, the spirit of the college is not just in its physical buildings like Old Main, but in the mindset of its people. After chatting with O’Neil, MSU Foundation employee and fellow alum Logan Sherva politely excused himself to bus tables after dinner.
“I was really moved by that,” O’Neil said. “The attitude is not what can you do for me, but what can I do for you.”
In addition to dinner, there were opportunities for fellowship and conversation. Hagen’s elementary-aged children visited a station where they made keepsake ornaments, coloring them with permanent markers and “Light Up the Legacy” stickers. It emphasized the family atmosphere that has always been associated with MSU.
“When we received the funding to do the renovation, President Van Horn mentioned that we could see our children and children’s children attend classes in Old Main someday,” Hagen said. “With two kids of my own, that was really moving for me.”
Like other MSU alumni, Hagen and O’Neil recall many fond memories of Old Main. In addition to his business administration classes, O’Neil attended many social events there, such as dances where you could meet all the new students. It was extra special for him remembering that his mother socialized in the same space in the 1940s, 35 years prior.
Hagen not only attended classes in the iconic building but also taught classes there as a member of the faculty. She described herself as a teacher teaching teachers, a nod to MSU’s legacy that began as a teachers’ college. It was in the basement of Old Main that Hagen asked Jesus Christ to be her Savior.
While “Light Up the Legacy” reminisced about the past, it also looked forward to a bright future. O’Neil noted the importance of taking a pause in the middle of the renovation project, refreshing people’s memories of the vision for the building and what it’s going to be like - especially during the holidays. The tree lighting event renewed the buzz, enthusiasm, and excitement for the project.
“This project will leave Mayville State in a better place, and not just with new bricks and mortar,” said O’Neil. “It’s bringing a classic building into a modern format, including ADA compliance, which will provide better access and increased utilization for everyone.”
Hagen hoped future students will feel the same way about the new Old Main as they do everywhere else on campus: a place where they feel welcome and part of something bigger than themselves. “Light Up the Legacy” was a celebration that brought together people from all over the community with shared ties to this special place.
“That’s what this time of year is supposed to be about: feeling the magic and making the connections,” Hagen said. “I was honored to be a part of it.”
As the lights from the ceremony have faded and construction work continues around and inside Old Main, the message of the evening lingers. The tree lighting offered a reminder that while the building is still in the midst of change, its role at the heart of campus remains constant.
For those who gathered, the event was an acknowledgement of what Old Main has meant for generations and a glimpse of what it will soon become - a familiar landmark renewed, ready to welcome new stories, new traditions, and the students who will shape its next century.
Many thanks to Construction Manager at Risk, PCL Construction/Community Contractors who made this celebration possible, and who also sponsored the meal.
’Twas the Night of Old Main’s New Light
’Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the halls,
Not a hammer was swinging, nor echoing calls.
The scaffolds were folded, the dust swept away,
Old Main stood in silence, quiet for the holiday.
The students were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of finals danced round in their heads.
Faculty and staff smiled, their hearts full of cheer,
For Old Main’s revival was finally near.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
The campus awoke to see what was the matter.
Away to the windows they flew in a dash,
To witness the glow and the holiday splash.
The moon on the crest of the new-fallen snow
Gave a luster to brickwork and windows aglow.
When what to their wondering eyes did appear,
But a towering tree, trimmed bright and sincere.
With lights strung like memories, ornaments grand,
Each telling the story of this noble stand.
A building once weary, now gleaming with pride,
With history and future walking side by side.
Then out came the students, the staff, and the crowd,
Their laughter and singing both merry and loud.
They circled Old Main in a festive embrace,
Honoring its journey, its purpose, its place.
A switch was then flipped, and the tree came alive,
Its brilliance like hope, like dreams that survive.
And all who had gathered felt joy in their hearts,
For Old Main’s new chapter was nearly ready to start.
To all who have gathered on this cold winter’s night,
We thank you for celebrating Mayville State’s future so bright.
With gratitude in our hearts, we beam with delight
As we wish “Happy Christmas” to all …
and to Old Main - good night!
