Students and Muskingum community celebrate “John Glenn Friendship 7 Day” in Ohio

Muskingum University, the State of Ohio, The Ohio State University and the nation celebrated the 50^th anniversary of John Glenn’s historic orbit of the Earth on February 20 which has been designated as “John Glenn Friendship 7 Day.”

To mark the day, students and alumni from Muskingum and OSU participated in “Join Forces for Service” on February 17, in honor of John and Annie Glenn’s commitment to giving back to others.

The United States Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to John Glenn last November. This is our country’s highest civilian award. Senator Glenn served in the U.S. Senate, representing Ohio, for 24 years and in 1998, at the age of 77, he returned to orbit aboard the space shuttle Discovery.

Senator Glenn’s careers in the space program, in the military, in business, and in politics have not diminished his involvement with his alma mater. Senator Glenn is an active member of Muskingum’s Board of Trustees, and his wife, Annie Castor Glenn ’42, is an emeritus trustee. Senator Glenn was named a Distinguished Alumni Professor in Public Affairs at Muskingum in 1998, the same year in which Annie was named a Distinguished Alumni Fellow in Speech Communication.

In addition to “Joining Forces for Service,” the following activities took place:

Orbit Media (Orbit TV and WMCO) offered commemorative programming. In 1998, Muskingum’s student radio station became “The Orbit” as part of a student-initiated action that marked the Senator’s return to space aboard the space shuttle Discovery.

Muskingum’s Library is highlighting Senator Glenn’s career with a special display that will be in place until the end of March.

In the photo: More than 50 Muskingum University students ready to depart for Columbus to participate in "Join Forces for Service Day."

In the bottom photo: Alumni taking part were: Left to right, back row: Alumni Director Jen Schultice Bronner ’97. Marjie Burlingame Hancock ’91 and Stephanie Falter Wood ’93. Left to right, front row: Mary Scott ’65, Ruth Backstrom Brown ’52, Bob Brown ’52 and Elizabeth Hancock, daughter of Marjie Hancock.