Wedged into the pews of the chapel, the townsfolk sat transfixed as history came alive before their very eyes with the wave of the trained and diplomatic hand of the Marquis de Lafayette.

“A man, no matter what class in society he might be born, whether he be Black or white, Catholic or Protestant, rich or poor, slave or free, should not make a difference, but simply by the way in which that person might carry themselves and prove themselves in this world,” declared the Marquis, channeled by actor and historian Mark Schneider.

Schneider, who has portrayed the Marquis for over 25 years, was summoned to campus as part of Lafayette College’s Founders’ Week for the 200th anniversary of the college. He surprised students sunbathing on the Quad on Monday, riding into campus on a horse.

“Riding on a horse, meeting your student body, doing a performance, having dinner and lunch with the president of Lafayette College — it’s been great,” Schnieder said.

The Marquis settled into Colton Chapel for an interview with Iris de Rode, a scholar on the French role in the American Revolution, in front of a sparse but enthusiastic crowd.

“This guy is world-renowned, I mean, the French Government knows him,” said attendee Tom Gasperetti, who, alongside his wife, said he’s seen the performer at least half a dozen times. “He has a reputation of credibility.”

The event included scripted dialogue to give the audience a realistic glimpse into the real-life figure of the Marquis and shine a light on the present.

“I think Lafayette, and especially his entire generation, their most important thing was enlightenment,” de Rode said. “Think for yourself, go out and figure it out. Do not just follow the dogma of one religion or one political party.”

Accompanying Schnieder for the event-filled week was the unveiling of a statue of the Marquis’ wife, Adrienne de Noailles.

“We are together once again,” rejoiced the Marquis.

“He regarded Adrienne as an important person, even if he cheated on her multiple times, even if he left her while she was pregnant several times,” de Rode explained.

Meanwhile, the college’s bicentennial was bestowed its own rap from admissions counselor Téo Rodriguez ‘24 with “200 More.”

“John Schulze knew we’d need to name this place of knowledge, so he wrote it down and signed it / Now we see it on our signage,” sang the rapper about the sixth governor of Pennsylvania.

Rodriguez, who said he’s been rapping since high school, commented on the difference between his normal artistic process and a more structured project like the bicentennial anthem.

“I think this was actually easier, because I had the content and the subject of what I had to rap about,” he said. “It made sense to do everything in chronological order.”

Mark Sapara, a student life staffer, shared his appreciation for the festivities.

“I’ve been working in higher-ed for 35 years, and I’ve never been at a place that has celebrated its important milestone like this,” he said. “I’m around a year-long celebration of ourselves, and I think there’s a lot to be proud of here.”

The college’s namesake, Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette, left a message for the campus community before returning to the great unknown (other bookings):

“Remember this, that the greatest victories in life are not won upon any battlefield, but rather knowledge over ignorance,” Schnieder said. “Happy 200th anniversary, Lafayette.”

This story was originally published on The Lafayette on March 13, 2026.