28 Archives and special collections librarian Hannah Wood, with the help of a video production committee, released a self-guided tour of the University’s history in significant locations around campus for the 2022 presidential inauguration. These 12 stops featured QR codes where students and visitors scanned to see videos of current and retired professors, timelines of significant accomplishments and quotes from alumni about Harding’s history. Editor and writer for University Communications and Marketing Hailey Pruitt worked on the video production committee to piece the stories together and write scripts for the narrators. She found the experience enriching as the team made content that educated the Harding body about its deep roots. “There is something special about working with people who all love Harding and are experts in their respective fields,” Pruitt said. “Each of us brought our unique talents to the table, and all of those contributions created a special experience for the Harding community.” Wood worked alongside the video production team to provide access to the historical information preserved in the archives. Wood said the idea was pitched by University President Mike Williams because he wanted to incorporate Harding’s history in the inaugural ceremony. “Since some of us had already discussed a virtual history tour of campus to be part of the centennial celebrations next year, we convinced Dr. Williams to let us start that project early,” Wood said. “We decided on the 12 sites to be included for the inauguration, but there are definitely plans to include even more Harding history videos all across campus for the centennial.” Jake Ward, videographer for University Communications and Marketing, said it took around five hours to film, edit and produce each video. He enjoyed working within a team where each position catered to everyone’s strengths and allowed them to create a product that everyone could enjoy. “It was an absolute dream to work with these people,” Ward said. “I think this project will help people better see the highlights of our history as well as help students see and understand the things the university was founded upon.” The team continued to work together as the centennial approached in 2023-24 as they created more stops on the tour. They hoped for students to become more interested in the school they chose to attend. “Dr. Mike Williams wanted the inauguration celebration to focus not on himself or past presidents but on Harding’s history as a whole,” Pruitt said. “It was important to us that this be a tour of history, not of buildings. We worked to tell stories of Harding’s struggles and successes, not just give descriptions of facilities … We want to create enthusiasm for learning more about the past while looking forward to the next 100 years.” Written by: Lauren Simmons Signs with QR codes create a virtual history tour throughout campus. HISTORY Scanning
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