The evening of Dec. 2 brought reminisce and remembrance to the Stetson campus, along with holiday cheer and even snow — all sparked by the arrival of 52 bells that now form a new carillon atop the university’s historically reconstructed Hulley Tower.

Built in 1934, the 116-foot Hulley Tower had to be taken down to its base in 2005 after a series of devastating hurricanes. In 2023, an alumni-led, grassroots campaign began to fund the $6.7 million needed to rebuild the belltower, including a $500,000 historic preservation grant from the State of Florida. An 1979 avalanche in Innsbruck, Austria, was the impetus for the Hulley Tower reconstruction, as friends of three classmates killed during a university study trip — Scotty Fenlon (Sigma Nu), Dennis Long (Delta Sigma Phi) and Katy Resnik (Pi Beta Phi) — wanted to create a campus memorial.

Meet the Bells

The arrival of the new carillon bells on Dec. 1, and their subsequent installation, represented a signature moment in that alumni effort and closed a circle dating back to 1910. That’s the year Stetson’s original “Eloise chimes” first appeared on campus, ultimately finding their way atop the tower. The new 52-bell carillon replaces the 11 “Eloise chimes” that once signaled the start and end of the day and rang out during DeLand’s many parades and community activities. (Former Stetson President Lincoln Hulley, who built the tower, is interred there with his wife, Eloise.)

To mark the new bells’ arrival, a Meet the Bells event was held on Dec. 2, with sentiment summarized by Judith Clayton Ward, Class of 1975, as she pointed to a bell on display: “It’s so touching. This is one bell, and there are 52 of them. It’s just remarkable. … This will become a memorial to all of us, and that I think is really special.”

Hulley Tower, to be dedicated Feb. 7, 2026, will serve to honor the three students killed in the avalanche, as well as all other students who died during their time at Stetson.

Yule Log Lighting

Following Meet the Bells, Stetson’s 77th annual Yule Log Lighting Ceremony — one of university’s most cherished traditions — was held, attracting students, alumni, faculty, staff and others. Reflections filled the air during the event, which began on campus in 1938. Each year, it has served as an interfaith moment for the campus community to reflect on the end of the semester and welcome the holiday season, celebrating the universal message of hope and light over darkness. 

This year, that moment was met with choir song and the words of several speakers, including Interim Chaplain Rev. Harland Merriam: “You can see that the darkness and cold of winter is closing in around us more and more. Help us get in touch with the darkness in our world and in our own lives, so that we might notice the power of light and warmth as we light this Yule Log.”

Kyra Sullivan, a senior majoring in both Communication and Media Studies and English, had never been to the ceremony. Aside from classes, she has juggled multiple jobs. This time around, however, she was able to attend. “I’m excited to actually make it because I feel like it’s a really cool multi-religion thing,” Sullivan said. “It’s not Christmas; it’s not Hanukah; it’s not Kwanza. It’s just a winter event that everyone can participate in, and I think it’s really cool that [Stetson has] been doing it for so many years.”

Winter Wonderland

Finally, there was Winter Wonderland, a transformation of Palm Court that was sponsored by Hatter Productions and the Student Development & Campus Vibrancy team. The holiday fun included two makeshift hills for snow tubing, as well as snowball fighting, sweets treats, a photo booth and more.

Never mind that the outside temperature was barely below 80 degrees.

Uncommonly, the entire scene, both the history and the holidays, made for quite a memorable night.

-Michael Candelaria