West Virginia University will celebrate its 140th birthday Wednesday, Feb. 7, with cakes, giveaways, discounts and a door-decorating contest for Lincoln Hall residents.

University President David C. Hardesty, Jr. will cut a large birthday cake at 11 a.m. that day in the commons area of the Mountainlair. He will be joined by Jason Gross, Student Government Association president, and Brady Campbell, the Mountaineer mascot.

The cake will be prepared by the Mountainlair Dining Services staff.

The University is inviting students, faculty and staff to stop by the Mountainlair between classes for a free piece of cake to celebrate WVU s 140th birthday in an informal atmosphere,said Stephanie Ballard Conrad, senior special events coordinator.

Dining Services staff members are also producing more than 1,300 cupcakes in the bakery and sending them out to dining areas in Boreman, Stalnaker, Arnold, Summit, Cafe Evansdale and Hatfields. The cupcakes will be free of charge. Each dining area will also receive aHappy Birthday WVU cake to display and eventually consume.

Anytime Dining Services gets involved in a special event, it is exciting for all of us,said Brad Messenger, Dining Services assistant director.This one is even more special. How often does an institution turn 140?

To celebrate the day, Dining Services retail operations will also be offering the following items for $1.40: Burger King, Whoppers (until 4 p.m.); Freshens, Microblasts all day; McCoys, wraps (until 4 p.m.); Hatfields, omelet for breakfast and bowl of soup for lunch; Waterfront Café, Starbucks Vente coffee; Bits&Bytes, two pieces Bosco breadsticks; Sports Café, regular Island Oasis Smoothie; Lyons Den, two pieces Bosco breadsticks; Elizas, Starbucks Vente coffee; JACS , small coffee and donut; Side Pocket, chili cheese fries.

Along with this promotion, the Mountainlair Games Area will offer one game of bowling and a half hour of billiards, each for $1.40.

Also on Feb. 7, the University will be giving away 2,000 rally rags during the 7:30 p.m. WVU -Pitt basketball game at the Coliseum. The small towels with the school colors will be given to the first 2,000 students to arrive for the game, as a keepsake to commemorate the Universitys special day.

We hope to create a sea of gold,said Ballard Conrad, noting that the birthday will also be acknowledged over the Coliseum public address system.

In addition, a pilot door-decorating contest with the theme,Happy Birthday WVU : 140 Years of Tradition,will take place in Lincoln Hall. Students participating in the new event will decorate their residence hall doors with reminders of WVU traditions.

Two winners (roommates in the winning rooms) will be chosen for each prize category. The first place winners will each receive a $25 Mountie Bounty gift card, along

with a Mountaineer gift package. The second place winners will each receive a $25 gift card, while the third place winners will each receive a $20 gift card, and the first honorable mention winner will receive a $10 card. Coca Cola is sponsoring the gift cards.

Judging of the door-decorating contest will take place Feb. 5, and those participating are encouraged to sign up in Lincoln Halls lobby.

The University was born Feb. 7, 1867, by an act of the West Virginia Legislature. The school was founded under the Morrill Land-Grant College Act of 1862, which offered grants of 30,000 acres of federally-owned land to states that agreed to establish colleges to teach agriculture and the mechanical arts (engineering).

For more information about WVU s 140th birthday events, contact Ballard Conrad at 304-293-4674.