Book YOUR UA STORY A

Book YOUR UA STORY A

A BOOK Presented to the Class of 2018 by the University of Arizona Alumni Association and the Student Alumni Ambassadors 1

THE A BOOK: A UA TRADITION STUDENT ALUMNI AMBASSADORS Network with alumni Celebrate UA traditions Be a campus leader Get free stuff Preserving our treasured heritage and traditions for alumni and Wildcats to come is one of the goals of the UA Alumni Association and its student group, the Student Alumni Ambassadors. In an effort to create a true chronicle of UA traditions old and new, we created the A Book. The A Book is a living piece of University of Arizona history, recording the rich traditions of the University of Arizona throughout the decades. It is presented to all incoming freshmen as a guide to ensure that all Wildcats know about our history and are aware of the important role they play in the larger story of the UA. In the following pages you ll learn about traditions that all students should participate in during their time here, important landmarks on campus, what makes a true Wildcat for Life, and insider campus secrets. Read about long-lost traditions, like our old school colors, and learn how to participate in new traditions like the Lighting of A Mountain. Keep your A Book close as you start your UA journey. It is your key to unlocking your UA story the traditions and memories that will make you a Wildcat for Life. SAA is a student club that connects students to Wildcat alumni and celebrates UA traditions. SAA is open to all current UA students. Join SAA Today: Access to priceless networking opportunities with alumni SAA hosts signature networking events all year long. FREE Beat T-shirts These shirts for the five biggest home games each football season are a UA tradition. Available only to SAA members! First come, first served, so get yours early. The official SAA T-shirt Show off your UA spirit with the official SAA T-shirt. Wear it all year long on campus, at events, and on game day. Campus leadership opportunities Gain valuable skills while participating in SAA leadership roles. Get involved in campus leadership and meet fellow leaders across campus. Join today! arizonaalumni.com/saa 2 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I YOU ARE A WILDCAT FOR LIFE CHAPTER 1 You are a Wildcat for Life From the UA Alumni Association President... 6 What Makes a Wildcat for Life?... 7 CHAPTER 2 UA History & Traditions: Then and Now Old Main... 10 UA School Colors... 11 Wildcat Mascots... 12 Bear Down, Arizona... 14 Registration Day... 15 Pride of Arizona... 16 A Mountain... 17 Spring Fling... 18 Homecoming... 19 New Traditions... 20 CHAPTER 3 Your UA Story UA Bucket Lists... 22 Your UA Memories... 24 Your Life on Campus... 25 Our Victories: Arizona Football... 26 Our Victories: Arizona Basketball... 27 Top 10 Campus Secrets... 28 4 5

FROM THE UA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT Dear Students, Welcome to the Wildcat Family! We like to call ourselves Wildcats for Life, and I was recently asked just what does that mean? How do you know if you will be a Wildcat for Life? Of course, the UA experience will be different for everyone, but there are some qualities all Wildcats for Life share. If you are fully engaged in the life of the University, taking advantage of the incredibly rich educational environment and the endless number of extracurricular opportunities you are a Wildcat for Life. If you work hard, play hard, and say yes to being the very best you can be you are a Wildcat for Life. If you love the campus, the Mall, the residence halls, the Student Union, McKale Memorial Center, Arizona Stadium, and that special tree or bench you call your own you are a Wildcat for Life. If you are a loyal and steadfast fan and know that whether we win or lose we have the best teams in the country you are a Wildcat for Life. Your time at the UA will fly by, and before you know it graduation will be here. It is then that you will really know that you are a Wildcat for Life. As you build a career, start a family, and start your own adventure post-graduation, you will begin to appreciate the value of your UA degree. The network of UA alumni will be there for mentoring, connecting, game watching, and maybe even employment. You will find a community of Wildcats everywhere you go, wearing the colors, and always ready to give or receive a friendly Bear Down! Will you want to stay engaged and connected with the UA? Will you see the value in joining the Alumni Association as a Wildcat for Life member? Will you support your local chapter, college, and the UA with your time, talent, and treasure? Will you believe, as I do, that supporting the UA is an essential part of life? Answer yes and you are a Wildcat for Life. Best of luck to you all for a successful and enriching school year. Melinda Burke 75 81 Vice President, Alumni Relations President, UA Alumni Association 520-621-9250, Office 520-621-9030, Fax Melinda.Burke@al.arizona.edu WHAT MAKES A WILDCAT FOR LIFE? All UA students enter the UA as Wildcats and graduate as Wildcats for Life a simple concept that captures the love of all who walked these halls and the feelings about this special place in the desert. When you graduate and leave this institution, a part of it will remain with you for the rest of your life. Whatever you do and wherever you go, you will always be a vital part of this University, and you will never lose your connection to the UA. Please enjoy this special journey through our history and traditions. It is your introduction to the University and its legacy which you are now a part of. 6 7

CHAPTER II UA HISTORY & TRADITIONS: THEN AND NOW Our treasured history and traditions are what make the University of Arizona unique and your UA experience unforgettable. Singing Bear Down, Arizona with the Pride of Arizona band, riding rides at Spring Fling, watching the Lighting of A Mountain, and marching in the Homecoming parade are experiences that unite Wildcats across the world and the ages. Learn about some of our strongest traditions, how they began, and how they have grown throughout the years. 8 9

OLD MAIN The University of Arizona was established in 1885 with a $25,000 appropriation from the Territorial Legislature and a stipulation that 40 acres of land for a campus was to be donated within a year. Many Tucson residents were frustrated that Tucson was not selected to be either the state capitol or the site for the Arizona Asylum for the Insane. Jacob S. Mansfeld convinced E.B. Gifford, Ben C. Parker, and William S. Reed to donate 40 acres east of Tucson for the University. Ground was broken Oct. 27, 1887, in a ceremony with about 600 Tucsonans in attendance. Bricks for the first building were manufactured on site with earth excavated from the ground floor level. Grey stone came from a quarry south of Ajo Road, and lumber came from San Diego. Classes began Oct. 1, 1891, with six faculty and 32 students. Originally, Old Main was named the School of Mines Building. It did not bofficially become Old Main until 1927. UA SCHOOL COLORS Silver and Sage The first University of Arizona colors were sage green and silver. These colors were chosen to represent the indigenous sage bush and the mining industries in Arizona. Cardinal Red and Navy Blue In 1890, the school newspaper published an editorial stating that sage green and silver had outgrown its usefulness. The colors were then changed to Cardinal Red and Navy Blue when the first football team s manager struck a good deal for game sweaters of solid blue with red trim. A committee was assembled to review the proposed school colors. The new colors were well received and almost instantly approved as the new official colors. Renovations During its 129-year lifetime, Old Main has gone through several renovations the first being sponsored by the Navy. The second began in 2013 when the University launched the Save Old Main project to raise $13.5 million in gifts in order to renew the building s foundation and veranda. 10 11

WILDCAT MASCOTS Wilma T. Wildcat Wilma was created when costume designers were attempting to make another costume for Wilbur. They created Wilma instead. Wilbur and Wilma Wilbur and Wilma were married on Nov. 21, 1986, just before the Arizona-Arizona State football game. In 2009, Wilbur celebrated his 50th birthday! He remains an integral part of the spirit of Arizona. Rufus Arizona The original Wildcat, first called Tom Easter, arrived on campus in 1915 and was soon renamed Rufus Arizona after President Rufus B. von Klein-Smid. Wilbur s First Appearance As a substitute for a live wildcat mascot, Wilbur made his first appearance at the UA-Texas Tech football game on Nov. 7, 1959. Wilbur was the creation of Richard Heller 62 and John Paquette 60 and was inspired by Cal s Oskie, a person dressed up as a bear. He was sent out on the field with the cheerleaders to stir up the crowd, entertain with humorous antics, and stalk the officials. The original costume was head-to-toe fur with an American flag patch on the left shoulder. 12 13

BEAR DOWN, ARIZONA : THE JOHN BUTTON SALMON STORY REGISTRATION DAY The Legend of John Button Salmon and Bear Down John Button Salmon was a star Registration Day! It is 5:59 a.m. on freshman registration day. Behind every door in the dormitories, students sit poised over their laptops, ready to hit the registration button when the minute passes. As the clock strikes 6, hundreds of cursors click simultaneously. Seconds later, a great cheer can be heard, a sign that the students were successful in registering. All students, from the first graduates to the graduates of tomorrow, are familiar with the sense of relief that comes when they succeed in enrolling for all of their required classes. Although this feeling is much the same, the process of registration has changed greatly over the years; the University s first graduates would be amazed by today s registration process! In days past, students would join their peers in massive lines that wound around the building of each college. If a student needed classes from different colleges, he or she had to wait in multiple lines in order to be added manually. Today, students can shop for classes online, much as one might shop for something on Amazon. Technology has completely transformed the registration process, making it easier than it ever was before. In honor of Button, Marty Gentry, varsity athlete and student body captain of the football team, proposed president at the University of Arizona. to make his famous last words the On Oct. 3, 1926, tragedy struck when athletic slogan at the student body Button was in an automobile accident assembly a year after his death. The and suffered a serious spinal cord injury. student body approved it unanimously. Before Salmon passed away, Coach When Bear Down Gym was erected, the McKale visited him in the hospital and words Bear Down were painted on the asked if he had a message for the team. roof by the honorary of another student Coach McKale said that he responded club, Chain Gang. with, Tell them tell the team to bear down. 14 15

PRIDE OF ARIZONA the Pride of Arizona was founded in 1902. It began as a UA ROTC band with only 12 members. The band has grown over the years, and has built a strong reputation as a top band program in the nation. In 1967, the Pride of Arizona performed at the halftime show of Super Bowl I in Los Angeles. In 1977, the Pride had the honor of marching in the Inaugural Parade for President James Carter. The Pride of Arizona was selected in 2009 as one of the top marching bands in the country by the College Band Directors National Association. Today, the band includes more than 250 members, including a flag and rifle color guard, a pomline, a drumline, and baton twirlers. You can cheer on the Pride of Arizona at Bear Down Fridays prior to home football games, on the field at football games, and in the Homecoming parade. A MOUNTAIN it was a sensational 7-6 Arizona football victory over Pomona College on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 6, 1914, that led to the building of the A on Sentinel Peak, west of Tucson. The A was finished on March 14, 1916, at a cost of $397, and was the first hillside letter in Arizona. Though the city originally required the A to be white, it has been painted a variety of colors over the years. In 2003, the A was painted black to protest the Iraq war, then red, white, and blue for patriotism. It has been painted green in honor of St. Patrick s Day every year since 1993. Every fall semester, even to this day, the Blue Key National Honorary in conjunction with the Tucson community sponsor A Day. Incoming freshmen are bussed to A Mountain to repaint the A before one of the home football games. The event is a 90-year tradition which is open only to freshmen students at the UA. Each fall the A is set ablaze by the Bobcats Senior Honorary to kick off Homecoming Week. Alumni, students, and fans gather to watch the A burn at the annual Lighting of A Mountain Event presented by the Student Alumni Ambassadors (SAA) and the UA Alumni Association. A Day 2010. UA News. N.D. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. Librarian Files. A Mountain AKA Sentinel Peak. Pima County Public Library, 1 October 2011. Web. 22 November 2013. 16 17

SPRING FLING The largest student-run carnival in the nation! In 1974, the University of Arizona clubs collaborated to host Spring Fling, a carnival for students and members of the Tucson community. Spring Fling has grown each year and is now recognized as the largest student-run carnival in the nation and the seventh-largest annual event in Tucson, entertaining over 18,000 people each year. The carnival was held exclusively on the Mall until the construction of the Integrated Learning Center forced it to move off-campus. From the mid- 2000s to 2013 Spring Fling was held at the Rillito Downs in Tucson. Spring Fling celebrated its 40th anniversary, in 2014 and to commemorate this special anniversary the Associated Students of the University of Arizona brought the event back to campus. HOMECOMING The University of Arizona Homecoming is the biggest event to hit campus each year. It is hosted and planned by the University of Arizona Alumni Association, the Student Alumni Ambassadors, and the Bobcats Student Honorary. This popular Wildcat tradition started in 1914 and is the fifth oldest in the country. At the first homecoming, Arizona football defeated Pomona College 7-6 on Thanksgiving Day before a crowd of 1,500 people. Homecoming is now a week-long event that kicks off the Sunday prior to the football game with the Lighting of A Mountain. Throughout the week, the Alumni Association hosts events on campus including Club Olympics, the Collegiate and Campus Showcase, college events and breakfasts, class reunions, and the Alumni of the Year Awards. One of the most popular events is the Homecoming pep rally and bonfire that is held on Friday night. This event features the Arizona football team, the Pride of Arizona, the Arizona cheerleaders, and the Homecoming court. Wilbur and Wilma appear and the Homecoming king and queen are crowned before the bonfire is set ablaze. The first Homecoming parade that featured student-built floats was held in October 1929. The Homecoming celebration brings thousands of Wildcats together each year to celebrate the University of Arizona s proud history and traditions! We hope to see you there. 18 19

NEW TRADITIONS Beat T-shirts In 2011, the Student Alumni Ambassadors (SAA) launched a new tradition for football season called the Beat T-shirt program. Each fall, SAA produces an exclusive Beat T-shirt design for five home football games. These coveted T-shirts are given out to the more than 500 SAA members the week prior to home football games. Beat T-shirts have become a staple in the Zona Zoo student section and each week students line up to get their shirt for the game. CHAPTER III YOUR UA STORY Now it s your turn to tell your UA story! The following pages are reserved for you to fill up with your Wildcat experiences and memories from your time here at this special place. To utilize this section fully, print out these pages or your can purchase a hard copy book at arizonaalumni.com/abook. Ghosts of the UA Tour The UA has a rich and long history, and with that also comes great mystery. At Homecoming 2013, SAA launched a new tradition the Ghosts of the UA Tour. This new UA tradition showcases the darker side of Arizona s oldest university. SAA tour guides take visitors to some of the oldest buildings on campus and share the ghostly and mysterious history of the University of Arizona. Learn about the Old Main ghost, the haunting of Maricopa Hall, and more on this unforgettable walking tour. 20 21

UA BUCKET LISTS Freshman Year Bucket List o Attend Wildcat Welcome o Sit in the Zona Zoo for the home-opener football game o Shake your keys at kickoff o Get your first Beat T-shirt and wear it to the game o Attend the Lighting of A Mountain event to kick off Homecoming Week o Walk around the Homecoming Tents on the Mall o Visit Old Main o Attend UA vs. ASU men s basketball game at McKale Sophomore Year Bucket List o Tailgate prior to a football game on the Mall o Attend Bear Down Friday o Compete in the Homecoming Club Olympics o Attend the Homecoming bonfire and pep rally o Cheer on the Cats at the Homecoming game o Attend the UA vs. ASU football game in Tempe o Go to Spring Fling Junior Year Bucket List o Take a selfie with Wilbur Wildcat o Go on the Ghosts of the UA Tour o Watch the Pride of Arizona perform at halftime o Take a trip to Los Angeles to see the Cats take on USC o Attend the UA vs. ASU football game at home o Take a photo with the John Button Salmon bust at Arizona Stadium o Cheer on the Cats at a bowl game o Attend the UA baseball season opener Senior Year Bucket List o Take a selfie with Wilma Wildcat o Ride in the Homecoming parade o Visit the Jim Click Hall of Champions o Attend the UA vs. ASU men s basketball game in Tempe o Get your cap and gown at Grad Fest at UA BookStores o Take a photo with the 1997 NCAA National Championship trophy o Attend the annual Grad Bash o Attend UA commencement 22 23

YOUR UA MEMORIES YOUR LIFE ON CAMPUS 24 25

OUR VICTORIES: ARIZONA FOOTBALL OUR VICTORIES: ARIZONA MEN S BASKETBALL Freshman Year - Top Games ASU Junior Year - Top Games ASU Freshman Year Top Games ASU ASU Junior Year Top Games ASU ASU Sophomore Year - Top Games ASU Senior Year - Top Games ASU Sophomore Year Top Games ASU ASU Senior Year Top Games ASU ASU 26 27

10 CAMPUS SECRETS/FACTS Best Places to Explore: Steward Observatory Mirror Lab, UA Museum of Art, Tree Ring Research Lab Top Hidden Spots: Babcock Inn pool, Turtle Pond on Park Avenue, Arizona Health Sciences Center courtyard Best Places to Study: 9th floor of Gould-Simpson (outlets everywhere!), Optic Sciences building, Slonaker Garden Cheapest Date Nights: Gallagher Theater free showings, The Charles Darwin Experience, Flandrau Planetarium Laser Light Show Best Views of Campus: Atop Koffler, top level of Main Gate parking garage, 4th floor of Student Union Memorial Center Coolest Statues: Unicorn between Ina Gittings and Eller Dance buildings, The Wall by Harvill, John Button Salmon at Arizona Stadium Best Breakfasts on Campus: La Petite Patisserie (PSU), Cactus Grill (SUMC 3rd floor), Bagel Talk (PSU) Best Places to Get Your Caffeine Fix: Coffee Exchange (2443 N. Campbell Avenue), The Scented Leaf (943 E. University Blvd. Suite 165), Caffe Luce (943 E. University Blvd. Suite 191) Best Lunches on Campus: The Cellar (SUMC 1st floor), Bear Down Kitchen (Arizona Stadium), Cactus Grill (SUMC 3rd floor) Best Off-Campus Food Spots: Sausage Deli (754 E. Grant Rd.), Frog & Firkin (874 E. University Blvd.), Caruso s Italian Restaurant (434 N. 4th Ave.) SPECIAL THANKS All current SAA members Arizona Athletics SAA A Book chair, Jenna Radomski SAA A Book committee UAAA Governing Board UAAA Photographer Jacob Chinn UAAA Communications UAAA Wildcat for Life Council University of Arizona Trademarks and Licensing UAAA Student Photographer John Nofs UAAA New Media Designer Emily Jue 28

30