It's hard to imagine what Johns Hopkins might look like when it celebrates its 300th anniversary in 2176. Will the university expand beyond its current campuses in Baltimore, D.C., Nanjing, and Bologna? How will the new Data Science and AI Institute change the university's research and teaching? What sports will student-athletes compete in? What new majors will exist? Which diseases and medical conditions will be relegated to the history books, and which will continue to challenge a new generation of doctors and researchers?
Video credit: Aubrey Morse / Johns Hopkins University
But there's at least one easy prediction: In the spring of 2176, a future class of graduating seniors will crack open a long-hidden time capsule. Inside they'll find hundreds of notes written by members of the Class of 2026 on their Commencement day, including advice, memories, hopes, worries, and visions of the future.
The capsule was created in recognition of the university's 150th anniversary, marking a collective moment of celebration and reflection across Johns Hopkins. Its contents were assembled during the 2026 Universitywide Commencement ceremony on May 21, where it was presented by President Ron Daniels.
Graduates wrote their notes on the scan cards used to announce their names, meaning all messages will be attributable once the capsule is opened. The final student to graduate, Bachelor's of Science in Physics recipient Ryan Zhang, was the one to close the capsule, carrying it offstage as the crowd cheered.
After the ceremony, Daniels offered his own message to the class of 2176.
"Today, we celebrate 150 years of Hopkins by celebrating our extraordinary graduates," he said. "This is a place where the pursuit of discovery is matched by a determination to make sure those novel ideas are shared with and impact the world for the better. I hope that as our successors celebrate you 150 years from now, you continue to carry forward that promise of the research ideal with the excellence and humanity that is the true legacy of your university."
The idea for a capsule came from conversations with the Class of 2026 Commencement Committee, with hope that it encourages future students to connect with the university's history.
