Celebrating Everything WCU All Week Long!
Weeklong Series of Events to Include Professional Clothing & Student Supply Drives, Beloved Banana Day, Research & Creativity Day, Business Pitch Competition, Community Cleanup, & more!
With Golden Rams at the heart and spirit of WCU, there’s lots to be excited about this spring. A weeklong series of events will celebrate everything WCU — its heart, its spirit, its research excellence, its support, its future, and its neighboring community.
The following are dates, times, and locations for some super fun ways to celebrate WCU all week long:
Rammy’s Suit-up & Stock-up Professional Clothing Drive, Resource Pantry Drop-off, and Art & Teacher Supply Donations
DATE: APRIL 13, 2026
TIMES: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
LOCATION: Twardowski Career Development Center, 705 South New Street, West Chester, PA (Campus Map).
Golden Rams will celebrate the heart of WCU by giving back to students as they:
- Donate new or gently-used professional clothing to the Career Closet where students can shop for FREE professional clothing (business casual to suits) that can be used for interviews, internships, award ceremonies, etc.
- Bring three personal-care items for the on-campus Resource Pantry, which supports student success by minimizing food & basic need insecurity
- Bring art supplies for the College of Arts and Humanities’ “Succeed with Ease” Closet, which provides art students with access to high-cost art supplies
- Bring teacher supplies for students in the College of Education and Social Work
University departments and organizations will even engage in a friendly campus-wide competition to earn points for the total number of items donated. Top donors will win lunch with President Bernotsky.
Celebrating Little Rams
(For alumni families, students, faculty, staff, and neighbors)
DATE: APRIL 14, 2026
TIMES: 5 – 7 p.m.
LOCATION: WCU Alumni & Foundation Center, 202 Carter Drive, West Chester, PA
Young Rams will be treated to an evening of purple and gold fun featuring face painting, free t-shirts, tote bag coloring, kid-friendly food, and delicious desserts. There will even be a special appearance from our favorite mascot, Rammy, and our super student athletes. Registration is required. To register, visit the Little Rams registration page. For more information, contact President@wcupa.edu.
30th Annual Banana Day!
DATE: APRIL 15, 2026
TIMES: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
LOCATION: All around north campus! WCU’s north campus is bound by 700 South High Street, Sharpless Street, South New Street, and West Rosedale Avenue
(Campus Map).
As WCU’s best day of the year, Banana Day will be absolutely bananas on April 15 as it celebrates its 30th birthday! There will be tons of Banana Day fun for everyone from zany banana games to face painting to Ram Cab trivia to treat trucks to photo ops, and everything in between. The Banana Day t-shirt will be the ultimate prize that everyone will try to win.
14th Annual WCU Business Pitch Competition
DATE: APRIL 15, 2026
TIMES: 4:30 – 7:30 p.m.
LOCATION: WCU Alumni & Foundation Center, 202 Carter Drive, West Chester, PA
As the final phase of the WCU Business Idea Competition, this highly anticipated event brings together top entrepreneurial minds as they present their innovative ideas live to a panel of business angels, entrepreneurs, and industry advisors. The event culminates in the announcement of winners and an exciting awards presentation. For more information and to register, visit the Cottrell Entrepreneurship Center event page.
WCU Alumni: Banana Night!
DATE: APRIL 15, 2026
TIMES: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Levante Brewing Co., 208 Carter Drive, West Chester, PA
WCU Alumni Association’s Banana Night will be an appealing treat for all alumni ready to relive WCU’s beloved Banana Day tradition. There will be the classic Banana Whip from The Chilly Banana food truck, a limited-edition Banana Night t-shirt, and fun with friends.
Research and Creative Activity Day
DATE: APRIL 16, 2026
TIMES: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Sykes Student Union, 110 West Rosedale Avenue, West Chester, PA
Hailing from all academic disciplines, WCU students and faculty will feature their innovative research and creative projects, present their findings, and engage in discussions with the campus community. Research and Creative Activity Day celebrates the intellectual curiosity that motivates students and teacher-scholars at WCU, which is classified as an R2 (“Doctoral Universities – High Research Activity”) by Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
43rd Annual Presidential Gala
DATE: APRIL 17, 2026
TIME: 6:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Longwood Gardens Conservatory, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA
The 43rd Annual Presidential Gala will raise funds to help WCU students experience life-changing opportunities that would otherwise not be possible due to financial constraints — internship stipends for unpaid internships, study abroad programs, clinical placements, research opportunities, service-learning experiences, and more. Proceeds from the Gala will ensure that opportunity is defined by a student’s potential, not circumstance.
Accepted Student Day
DATE: APRIL 18, 2026
TIME: Check-in begins at 9 a.m. & Accepted Student Day concludes at 1 p.m.
LOCATION: West Chester University, 700 South High Street, West Chester, PA
PARKING: Complimentary parking is available in New Street Parking Garage, Commons Parking Garage, and Sharpless Parking Garage for Accepted Student Day guests.
The future of WCU is celebrated during Accepted Student Day as accepted students and their guests learn more about life as a Golden Ram. A detailed agenda will be provided upon arrival.
Highlights of Accepted Student Day include the following:
- Tour campus, including Residence Halls
- Meet with professors and hear more about your area of study
- Explore student resources, supports, and opportunities on campus in the Golden Arena
- Walk-ins welcome at the Financial Aid Office, Dub-C Autism Program, and Campus Bookstore
- Learn about diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Connect with the Undergraduate Admissions team
- Free WCU swag, fun, and more!
For more information, visit the Accepted Students Day website.
Community Cleanup
DATE: APRIL 19, 2026
TIME: 12 – 2 p.m.
LOCATION: Rustin Park, 740 S. Walnut Street, West Chester, PA
WCU students, faculty, and staff will celebrate their community and partnership with the Borough of West Chester in a day dedicated to cleaning their shared neighborhood. All are welcome to meet at Rustin Park at noon to secure materials and receive cleanup assignments! For more information and to register, visit the Student Registration and Community Sign Up.