In mid-August, a special issue of BYU’s alumni magazine devoted to the school’s Sesquicentennial landed in the mailboxes of many of its 460,219 former students around the world.

A couple of weeks later, the school unveiled a new flavor of ice cream, “ 150 Swirl ” — the dining services website calls it “the best ice cream in 150 years” — during the annual University Conference for faculty and staff.

And Tuesday, BYU held its “Sesquicentennial Kickoff devotional,” a day before students flood Brigham Square at lunchtime to play games, eat treats and pick up swag related to the 150th anniversary .

The school’s founding in 1875 wasn’t directly mentioned at the devotional. Instead, BYU is firmly looking forward through the lens of a speech given during its centennial celebration in 1975

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