DePaul University is primed to celebrate, reminisce about and embrace its mission as it begins its centennial academic year. Two public events, New Student Service Day, set for Sept. 8, and a Loop birthday bash, scheduled for Sept. 10 will get the ceremonious year off to an exciting start.

New Student Service Day will provide the opportunity for DePaul to reflect on its history and reach out to the community. The day will begin with a visual celebration at 11 a.m. at St. Vincent’s Church, 1010 W. Webster Ave. The focal image will be a 12-by-14 foot picture of the original DePaul student body and faculty from 1898. That photo will be moved to the side to reveal a living tableau featuring students and faculty representatives from the 1998 freshman class.

Immediately following the dramatic tableau, nearly 1,000 students and faculty will be dispatched from St. Vincent’s Church throughout Chicago to perform acts of public and community service at more than 50 locations.

Teams will sort and package food at the Greater Chicago Food Depository; paint a mural at the South Shore Islamic Community Center; clean and garden at parks across the city; and work with the Chicago Botanic Gardens and Newberry School to restore a community garden.

On Sept. 10, the public is invited to an honorary street renaming ceremony and outdoor birthday celebration for DePaul at DePaul Plaza at State Street and Jackson Boulevard. The honorary renaming of Jackson Boulevard, between State Street and Wabash Avenue, to "DePaul Way" will take place at 11:30 a.m., when a sign is unveiled on the southeast corner. At 11:45 a.m., candles will be lit on an Eli’s cheesecake in commemoration of DePaul’s centennial birthday. Eli’s has donated 1,000 slices of cheesecake to be distributed to the public. A nine piece swing band, "3 Cents Stomp," will perform a free concert. There will also be dancers and prizes such as DePaul centennial souvenirs and tickets to a variety of university events.