New York City's Empire State Building will glow in scarlet as New Jersey's Rutgers University celebrates its 250th birthday.
There also will be fireworks Thursday evening on the New Brunswick, Newark and Camden campuses as the yearlong celebration concludes with special classes, exhibitions and concerts.
Officials say nearly 80 alumni including scholars, scientists, activists and performers are returning to Rutgers to talk about their work and how their education has aided their accomplishments.
The university says it began as a small, mostly white all-male college and has become one of the nation's most diverse and rigorous public research universities.
President Barack Obama told 2016 graduates that Rutgers reflects America's own evolution in becoming bigger, stronger, more dynamic and more inclusive.
