For an entire week, the UNT community will hold celebrations -- from football and tailgating fun to a picnic on the Library Mall -- in honor of the university's first day of classes held Sept. 16, 1890.

Founder's Week Sept. 11-20 also kicks into high gear the university's 125th anniversary celebrations. The week's highlight event will be President Neal Smatresk's Sept. 16 State of the University address, outlining UNT's accomplishments from the past year and priorities for the future.

The week is the perfect opportunity for our campus community to commemorate UNT's 125 years of progress, growth and service in the Denton community, Smatresk says.

"This year marks 125 years since our founding as a university. I'm proud of our history and journey," he says. "Our focus is to continue to be a catalyst for creativity and fuel progress, innovation and entrepreneurship for Denton, the North Texas region and the state."

From humble beginnings in a rented space above a hardware store in downtown Denton, UNT has grown into the nation's 25th largest public university. UNT's 125th anniversary celebration kick off with Founder's Week will include:

Season opener at SMU

The Mean Green Nation will come together to paint Dallas green for Mean Green football's season opener against Southern Methodist University at 6 p.m. Sept. 12 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas.

As part of pre-game fun leading up to the SMU game, the UNT Alumni Association is hosting the official Mean Green Alumni Rally from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, at Four Corners Brewery in Dallas. Mean Green fans can mix and mingle with President Smatresk, Scrappy and UNT cheerleaders and enjoy food trucks, limited edition pint glasses and a specially crafted brew crafted in partnership between UNT alumni at Four Corners Brewery and Armadillo Ale Works in Denton.

On game day, Saturday, Sept. 12, the Mean Green Club is hosting the North Texas Tailgate party from 3 to 5:30 p.m. on The Boulevard in the heart of the SMU's campus. Festivities will include a cash bar, live entertainment by Kody West and a barbecue meal from Sonny Bryan's Smoke House. After tailgating, the Mean Green Nation will come together in a sea of green at Ford Stadium to cheer Coach Dan McCarney and the Mean Green to their first victory of the season.

Buy game and tailgating tickets online.

UNT Giving Week

UNT Giving Week is the university's 125-hour campaign starting Sept. 14 and ending the morning of Sept. 19. Created to commemorate UNT's 125th anniversary year, the campaign is the first-ever in the university's history to span more than one day and include all of UNT's community. Gifts can be made to any of the university's 4,000 funds such as the Inspire UNT Fund, which helps promote academic excellence here on campus.

Any amount given will help kick off Fiscal Year 2016 and build momentum for our 125th anniversary celebration, says alumnus David Wolf, vice president for advancement.

"We're excited about the UNT community and our stakeholders coming together in such a unique way to celebrate Mean Green pride and our 125th anniversary," Wolf says. "No matter where you are, this 125-hour opportunity will allow you to reconnect to your UNT roots and every dollar donated will help to build our pool of academic talent and continue UNT's amazing trajectory forward."

Inspire the next chapter of UNT's history with your gift.

Future Eagles

UNT is committed to building partnerships in the communities it serves, especially with Denton, the university's birthplace. Denton and its residents have been a part of UNT's progress from the beginning, when Denton businessmen -- who formed a group known as The Syndicate -- were the first to see the importance and economic benefits of making the city a center of learning. They donated 10 acres of land that became the campus, and the city paid for the first building.

As part of Founder's Week, UNT will celebrate its longtime ties to the Denton community by hosting 6th graders from the Denton Independent School District on campus for two days. Students will tour campus  Tuesday, Sept. 15 and Thursday, Sept. 17.

DISD students will begin each day on campus at 10 a.m. in the UNT Coliseum, where they will take part in a Mean Green Pep Rally before dispersing to attend mock UNT classes taught by faculty volunteers at the Pohl Recreation Center, Willis Library and Gateway Center. And from noon to 1 p.m. students will learn about future career options during a Career Fair at the Coliseum.

 At the end of students’ campus visit, the Division of Student Affairs will give away tickets to UNT sporting  events and four DISD students will be awarded $500 UNT scholarships.

"UNT is committed to providing students with the best educational experience in Texas and we want to begin showing this to students early," says Elizabeth With, vice president for student affairs. "Our students are our legacy and by preparing them for college early, we're ensuring that Denton and the North Texas region will continue to have an educated workforce and bright future."

Happy Birthday UNT! Cupcake Celebration

To celebrate UNT’s birthday and founding in 1890, UNT will give away 3,000 cupcakes on the Library Mall at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16. Scrappy will be on hand for the birthday celebration so come out to enjoy cupcakes, show your green pride and mingle with fellow students and members of the UNT community.

Founder's Week Picnic

UNT's most important legacy is its students, and the Division of Student Affairs will bring them together from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, for a picnic on the Library Mall.

As part of picnic festivities, students will dine on barbecue, celebrate UNT traditions and mingle with fellow students and campus community members. President Smatresk also will share highlights from his State of the University address.

Faculty and staff are welcome to attend the festivities as well, says Melissa McGuire, assistant vice president of student affairs, the event's organizer. Students, faculty and staff must present their UNT ID at the event.

"It's because of UNT's remarkable progress over the last 125 years that our students are able to enjoy attending a world-class university like UNT," McGuire says.

Chill with Chilton

Joshua Crittenden Chilton was UNT's founder and first president, serving at what was then the Texas Normal College and Teacher Training Institute from 1890 to 1893. He left an indelible mark on UNT history, and as a way to show UNT spirit all week long, Student Affairs will recreate Chilton's beard for the week's Chill with Chilton event. Students will try on Chilton's beard and have their photos taken at booths set up across campus, including at Kerr Hall, Bruce Hall and the Pohl Recreation Center. Booths will be open from:

• 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, Sept. 14-16 at Bruce and Kerr Halls, Stovall Lounge and the Pohl Recreation Center
• 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Bruce and Kerr Halls Thursday, Sept. 17
• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17 on the Library Mall

To help generate buzz about Founder's Week, students are encouraged to share selfies wearing the beard on Twitter and Instagram with #chillwithchilton and #UNT125, McGuire says. Students who can show that they have posted a selfie on social media at the Founder's Week Picnic will receive a Chill with Chilton T-shirt, while supplies last, she added.

 "We want to have another fun way for students to celebrate UNT's founding," McGuire says. "This is a great way to incorporate our history and fun into the week's planned events."

Family Weekend

Founder's Week will culminate with fun-filled festivities during Family Weekend Sept. 18-20, the first big event of the year for students to share their UNT experiences and the campus with family and friends.

The three-day event starts Friday, Sept. 18 with Scrappy Extravaganza, a dinner for students and their guests. Students and their families will gather Saturday, Sept. 19, for a 5k run/walk and breakfast with President Smatresk, a tradition for the event. The Mean Green's Sept. 19 home opener against Rice University at Apogee Stadium and farewell brunch for students and their families on Sunday, Sept. 20, will bring Founder's Week to a close.

"Every event for Founder's Week is a celebration of our legacy in the heart the North Texas region," McGuire says. "And there's something for everyone to show their UNT pride while celebrating our rich traditions and history."