Macon-Bibb County Mayor Lester Miller '91 spoke at Mercer’s Founders' Day ceremony as students, faculty, staff and alumni filled Toney Auditorium to take part in the celebration on Wednesday, Feb. 5.
Founders' Day is an annual celebration that takes place on Mercer University founder Jesse Mercer’s birthday. Each year, the event
invites an influential alumni to speak about the impact Mercer has had on their lives.
Alisha Mitchell ‘26, who chairs the heritage life committee for Mercer’s Student Government Association, says bringing back notable alumni is important for students to see where a Mercer education can lead them.
“It’s important to see that alumni here, one, don’t forget about their school, but also come back to tell us how to work the world afterwards,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell contributes to The Mercer Cluster as a staff writer.
The keynote speaker, Macon’s mayor, did just that as he explained how his career and love for the community were shaped by his time at Mercer.
“It was here at Mercer that I truly learned what it meant to be a part of a community, that each of us has something we can contribute to make it better,” Miller said.
“Mercer is about shaping the future of your community through your own experiences, your knowledge and your dedication,” he said.
Miller, who was born and raised in Macon, was a member of Alpha Tau Omega in his time at Mercer, according to a 1988 edition of "The Cauldron." After leaving Mercer with a law degree from the university's Walter F. George School of Law in 1994, he did not enter public life immediately. His first major role in the public sphere was as President of the Bibb County School Board. Now, he is in his second term in City Hall and hoping for a third.
Following the celebration, students streamed to the Historic Quad to collect their gift from SGA for attending Founders' Day. This
year’s surprise was a T-shirt designed by Mitchell depicting iconic Mercer symbols such as Tarver Library, the Toby the Bear statue and Jesse Mercer himself.
The event elicited positive reactions from students as they stood in line for their shirts.
“It was just nice to have everyone there, just seeing everyone I know from around campus, enjoying that community,” Kristen Carter ‘25 said.
“I thought it was pretty cool seeing Lester Miller. I’m from Macon, so I’ve seen him on TV and stuff like that all the time,” Clayton Burnett ‘28 said. “I thought it was a good time.”
Megan Jackson ‘25 is a Journalism student with a goal of working in multimedia journalism. Megan currently acts as The Cluster's co-Editor-in-Chief. In her free time, she enjoys reading a good book or spending time with her sorority sisters.
