A Lasting Tribute: The Alumni Memorial Building

One of the Valley's most enduring tributes to sacrifice and legacy stands on Asa Packer campus: Alumni Memorial Building. Rising with solemn dignity near the heart of campus, this architectural landmark stands not only as a cornerstone of Lehigh’s physical landscape, but also as a profound symbol of honor, remembrance, and community.

Dedicated in 1925, the Alumni Memorial Building honors the 1,921 Lehigh graduates who served in World War I — and, with reverence, the 46 students and alumni who gave their lives in the Great War. Before the building’s cornerstone was even laid, a poignant tribute took root in the campus landscape: 46 elm trees, each marked with a stone bearing the name of one of the fallen, were planted along the path stretching from the future site of the memorial to Taylor Gymnasium. This living memorial remains a quiet, powerful reminder of their enduring legacy.

Over the decades, as new generations of Lehigh alumni answered the call to serve in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and conflicts beyond, the memorial has grown in scope to honor their sacrifices as well. Inside the building, additional plaques and records have been installed to commemorate those who served and fell in these later wars, ensuring that their names and stories, too, are preserved as part of the university’s shared history. The Alumni Memorial Building thus continues to evolve as a space of remembrance — not just for one war, but as a tribute to the broader Lehigh tradition of service.

The building itself, designed by Theodore G. Visscher 1899 and James Lindsey Burley 1894, is a distinguished example of Collegiate Gothic architecture. With its sweeping stone arches, rich ornamentation, and classic proportions, it was created to inspire and to last. As noted by contemporary critic Matlock Price in Architectural Record in 1923, “Here is a building which ... will grow old gracefully and, with age, taking on only a greater dignity and poise as it becomes a part of the life and tradition of the university.”

Indeed, it has.

Today, the Alumni Memorial Building continues to serve as a vital hub of university life. It houses Admissions, welcoming prospective students and families to campus for the first time. The building also serves as the seat of Lehigh’s administration, reinforcing its central place in both the symbolic and functional life of the institution.

As students, faculty, and alumni pass through its halls, the building remains a reminder of the values that shaped Lehigh — service, sacrifice, and community. Nearly a century since its dedication, the Alumni Memorial Building continues to stand as a timeless tribute: a place of memory, a center of welcome, and a cornerstone of Lehigh tradition.