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College Facts Friday: Georgia Tech

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In this week’s #CollegeFactsFriday, we are heading to Atlanta to learn more about Georgia Institute of Technology (aka. Georgia Tech).

 

 1. A coin toss at graduation? In 1890, the first two engineers graduated from Georgia Tech. To decide who had the honor of receiving the first degree, they tossed a coin.

 2. Georgia Tech has a unique mechanical mascot, the Ramblin’ Reck. It is a 1930 Ford Model A Sport Coupe that is painted in the school’s color of old gold and white.

 3. Are you a super sports fan? Meet the Goldfellas! You can spot them at every home football game, fully painted in yellow and black to look like the mascot Buzz.

 4. Another tradition before Homecoming game is the Cake Race. Freshmen are encouraged to participate, and everyone races the half a mile toward the stadium, where the winners receive cakes (but everyone gets a cupcake).

 5. Georgia Tech was founded in 1885. At the time, the campus only had two buildings. Now there are over 160 buildings sitting on the 400 acres of campus.

 6. After 67 years, the first class of women students was admitted in 1952.

 7. Think you will escape the bell schedule once you graduate high school? Think again. At Georgia Tech, the steam whistle blows five minutes to the hour-to-end classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

 8. Some of the well-known Georgia Tech alumni included Jimmy Carter, Susan Still Kilrain (NASA astronaut), J. Paul Raines (CEO of GameStop), and Barbara “Bobbi” Morse (fictional character from Marvel Comics).

 9. It is one of a handful of NCAA Division 1 football teams without the word “University” in its name. A few others are Boston College and Dartmouth College.

 10. Want to learn more about Georgia Tech? Follow them on social media (Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook)

 

College Facts Friday: UC Davis

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Happy Friday! You know what this means – YES, another round of quick #CollegeFacts! This week we are checking out one of the UCs. Located less than an hour away from the California state capital, UC Davis has a lot to offer.

 

  1. A fan of Tolkien and sustainability? Students at UCD can apply to live at the UC Davis Domes (also known as Baggins End). These cute little yurts are part of the cooperative housing run by the Solar Community Housing Association.

 

  1. UC Davis has the best program in Viticulture and Enology (the study of grape growing and winemaking). In fact, people in the wine industry state that there are just two degrees of separation between the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology and anyone in the wine world.

 

  1. UCD has the largest campus size of all UC schools. It’s 5300 acres! It began as a farm school for UC Berkeley and grew into a world-renown college offering 103 different undergraduate majors.

 

  1. The Eggheads are seven white sculptures scattered across the Davis campus. They are the work of artist and UC Davis Professor Robert Arneson from 1989.

 

  1. You don’t need to fly to London to ride a vintage double-decker bus. You can ride them at UC Davis! The Associated Students of the University of California, Davis (ASUCD), purchased the first two used buses and put them into service on February 28, 1968.

 

  1. UC Davis has the biggest open house every year in April called Picnic Day. With over 125,000 attendees, it is the largest student-run event in the country.

 

  1. Are you a dog lover? During finals, you can get some Fluffy Therapy. UCD partners with local animal groups to bring in certified therapy dogs and rescue pets to help students de-stress.

 

  1. Another fun tradition is the Doxie Derby. During the annual Picnic Day, dachshunds from around the Sacramento area gather to race!

 

  1. Davis is also known as the Bicycle Capital of the US with 98% of its streets friendly to cyclists!

 

  1. Want to learn more about UC Davis? Follow them on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!

 

 

College Facts Friday: Lehigh University

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It’s another #CollegeFactsFriday! This week, we are heading to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to learn more about Lehigh University.

 

 

 1. Lehigh University’s Taylor Stadium was the third concrete stadium in the United States. It was built in 1914. The final game at the Taylor Stadium was on a frigid day where the temperature was in the mid-20s and the wind chill factor was somewhere between minus-10 and minus-20 degrees Fahrenheit.

 2. Their former mascot was the Engineers. Since 1995, Lehigh’s teams are officially known as the Mountain Hawks.

 3. The Rivalry between Lehigh University and Lafayette College went as far back as 1884.

 4. An interesting tradition until the 70s, freshmen wore “dinks,” which were small brown hats with their class years, from the beginning of fall to the first football game with Lafeyette.

 5. Hate taking the stairs? Thanks to Lehigh alumnus, Jesse W. Reno, we now have escalators. He was Class of 1883.

 6. For those of you from the Bay Area, the Golden Gate Bridge was constructed by two Lehigh alumni, Howard McClintic and Charles Marshall.

 7. The week before the first Lehigh-Lafeyette Rivalry game, Lehigh’s Marching 97 band would make a campus tour, called the Eco Flame. During Eco Flame, the marching band storms into different classrooms while playing its spirit tunes in drum cadence.

 8. One of the oldest traditions of Lehigh’s Spirit Week is their annual Turkey Trot. Students would dress up to join this 2.6-mile running and fun walk through campus.

 9. After the death of Lehigh’s founder, businessman Asa Packer, Founder’s Weekend has become an annual tradition. This weekend celebration includes a lawn party, tailgate, fun run, and more!

 10. Want to learn more about Lehigh University? Check out their social media (Twitter @LehighU, Instagram @LehighU, TikTok @lehighadmissions)

 

College Facts Friday: Barnard College

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For this week’s #CollegeFactsFriday, we are going to New York, New York! Cue the music and let’s learn more about Barnard College.

 

 1. Barnard College was named after Frederick A. P. Barnard, who founded the school (with the help of a student Annie Nathan Meyer) in 1889. Barnard was the 10th president of Columbia University, who believed that women should be in the same challenging curriculum as men. Learn more about their history here. 

 2. The campus and its classrooms have been used in films and TV shows, such as The Bedford Diaries and Mistress America.

 3. In 1960, one of the biggest scandals in Barnard was the ban on pants and Bermuda shorts. Read more here.

 4. Are you a breakfast lover? One of the traditions at Barnard is the Midnight Breakfast. On the night before the first day of finals, college deans, trustees, staff and the president serve food to over to a thousand students. What could make this better? The breakfast food usually has a theme! 

 5. Famous Barnard alumni include Joan Rivers (comedian), Utada Hikaru (singer and songwriter), Martha Stewart (TV host and businesswoman), and Jaqueline K. Barton (pioneer in DNA structure study).

 6. Located just across the street from Columbia University, Barnard College shares its resources with Columbia. It is also part of the Seven Sisters, which are made up of historically women’s colleges. These seven schools, which are highly selective liberal arts colleges in the Northeastern United States, are created to provide women with the same academic rigor as the Ivy League.

 7. At the beginning of the fall semester each year, students are welcomed to a 700 feet long subway sandwich. It has different sections for each dietary preference, such as kosher, vegetarian, or vegan.

 8. Barnard’s mascot is a bear, name Millie the Dancing Bear. She is named after the first president, Milicent McIntosh.

 9. Like to challenge the way you think? Check out the provocative bench – a marble bench engraved with statements such as “an elite is inevitable” or “stupid people shouldn’t breed.” The bench “Selection of Truism” is a Jenny Holzer sculpture, gifted to the college from trustee emerita and art-history major Virginia “Jinny” Bloedel Wright. 

 10. Want to learn more about Barnard College? Follow them on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.

 

Curious about #collegefacts on Columbia University? Read more: College Facts Friday: Columbia University

College Facts Friday: Emory University

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Welcome back to another round of #CollegeFactsFriday! This week we are visiting the Peach State, Georgia. Just 3 miles away from Georgia’s state capitol Atlanta is Emory University, a private research liberal arts college.

 

 1. Emory’s official mascot is Swoop the Eagle, but its unofficial mascot is Dooley the Skeleton, a dapper biology lab skeleton (completed with top hat and cane). Dooley first appeared on the Emory Oxford campus in 1899 and 1909, where he was seen perching in a science lab and writing letters to the student publication the Emory Pheonix.

 

 2. Founded in 1836, Emory is the second oldest private higher education institute in Georgia (established just three years after Mercer University)

 

 3. In 1841, Emory sent off its very first graduating class. The class size was three! Fast forward 180 years later, now the university has almost 2000 students in their first-year class.

 

 4. The largest healthcare system in the state of Georgia is Emory Healthcare, part of Emory University. 

 

 5. Famous Emory alumni include Robert W. Woodruff (former president of The Coca-Cola Company), Thomas Milton Rivers (also known as the “Father of Modern Virology”), and Warrick Dunn (former NFL player).

 

 6. Love song and dance? Songfest is a fun Emory tradition, in which first-year students from each residence hall perform an original song about their new home on campus! It’s a great way to meet your hallmates. Learn more about other wonderful first-year events.

 

 7. The first PhD studied at Emory was Chemistry in 1948. Learn more about Emory’s history and traditions.

 

 8. Another tradition is Wonderful Wednesday. It’s a weekly celebration happening on Wednesday afternoon where faculty, staff, students, and all members of the Emory community join in for food, fun, and themed events!

 

 9. For three consecutive years, Emory has been recognized as the largest employer in Atlanta! Read the news here.

 

 10. Want to learn more about Emory? Check out their undergrad admissions blog or follow them on social media (Twitter, Facebook, & Youtube)

College Facts Friday: Carleton College

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Happy Friday! For this week’s #CollegeFactsFriday we are visiting the state of 10,000 lakes. Carleton College, home of the Knights, is a private liberal arts college located in Northfield, Minnesota.

 

 1. The most popular majors at Carleton College include: Social Sciences, Physical Sciences,  Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, and Mathematics and Statistics.

 

 2. From 2000 through 2016, students and alumni of the college included 122 National Science Foundation Graduate Fellows, 112 Fulbright Scholars, 22 Watson Fellows, 20 NCAA Postgraduate Scholars, 13 Goldwater Scholars, and 2 Rhodes Scholars.

 

 3. Carleton College’s school color is blue and maize.

 

 4. Carleton offers many fantastic study abroad programs that span the globe and is extremely generous with financial aid. As a result, a whopping 75% of students choose to go abroad while at Carleton.

 

 5. A relatively new tradition, the Silent Dance Party helps to relieve stress and take place immediately before final exams. Students meet in the library at 11 pm with headphones and the same dance music playlist. Students listen to the playlist in synchrony, dancing silently in the library before moving on to other locations on campus.

 

 6. Each Friday, students can choose to send flowers to each other’s campus mailboxes!

 

 7. Carleton marks the beginning and end of each year with special convocations in the chapel. Since 1970, seniors have lightened the somewhat formal mood by gathering in the balcony to blow bubbles over faculty members as they enter the chapel in full academic regalia.

 

 8. During the winter, Carleton sets up two hockey rinks on the Bald Spot (large grass area in the center of campus). The Rec Center rents out ice skates (for free) which is very popular among students. Additionally, many people play hockey and broomball, which is like hockey played in regular shoes while hitting an actual ball with a broomstick. Cross-country skiing in the Arb is always a fun activity, and many people go sledding down Bell Hill.

 

 9. Instead of the traditional cheerleaders, Carleton College has the Gender Neutral Cheerboys. These superfans support Carleton sports teams with silly chants and goofy antics, like doing pushups for points scored.

 

 10. Want to learn more about Carleton College? Follow them on Instagram and Twitter.

College Facts Friday: Boston University

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 1. The Boston University Bridge is one of three places in the world where a plane can fly over a car driving over a train traveling over a boat. This is also possible with the Steel Bridge across the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, and the 25 de Abril Bridge in Lisbon, Portugal.

 2. The Judson B. Coit Observatory is open to the public on Wednesday nights so that people can observe the constellations and night sky. (Insight Counselor Ramya highly recommends this experience!)

 3. In 1947, Boston University became the first university in the United States to provide college degrees in public relations.

4. BU doesn’t have a campus in the traditional sense. BU is built along Commonwealth Avenue, which means everything can be reached by walking forward or backward. This gives the incoming freshmen a much easier time to familiarize the campus. 

5. Influential alumni include Dr Martin Luther King Jr, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and actress Julianne Moore. 

6. Boston University’s color is white and scarlet.

7. Boston University traces its roots as far back as 1839 during the establishment of the Newbury Biblical Institute in Newbury, VT. The Massachusetts Legislature chartered the school the name “Boston University” in 1869.

 8. Several buildings on BU campus have earned several historic preservation awards, such as the School of Law tower, the Alan & Sherry Leventhal Center, Myles Standish Hall, and the Dahod Family Alumni Center (formerly The Castle).

 9. The Boston University Castle (or BU Castle or simply “The Castle”) located on Bay State Road is a Tudor-Revival style mansion. BU typically uses it for receptions or concerts but also rents out The Castle for events.

10. Can’t get enough BU facts? Follow them on social media, such as Twitter (@BU_Tweets) or Facebook, for campus photos, student stories, and more!

College Fact Friday: USC

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 1. Their motto is “palmam qui meruit ferat, let he who merited the palm bear it,” meaning “achievement should be rewarded.”

 2. When the University of Southern California was founded in 1880, the University employed 10 faculty members and welcomed a class of 53 students. Tuition for the first year was only $15.00 per semester, and students were not allowed to leave town without the knowledge and consent of the university president. 

 3. The first USC valedictorian was a woman, Minnie C. Miltimore, for the class of 1884.

 4. The southwest corner of the Pueblo of Los Angeles is part of the original land grant given by the King of Spain in 1781. That can still be found today at the corner of Figueroa Street and Exposition Boulevard. 

 5. USC is the only university in the world to have a gold medal-winning athlete in every summer Olympiad since 1912. (Similar: USC has produced more Olympians, Olympic medalists, and Olympic gold medalists than any other U.S. university.)

 6. The Trojan Marching Band is the only collegiate marching band in the U.S. that has earned a platinum record — two actually.

 7. There has been some debate to which school claims the title as the real USC – University of South Carolina or University of Southern California

 8. USC is the oldest private research university in California.

 9. Although not located in tech-central Silicon Valley, USC was actually one of the earliest nodes on ARPANET and is the birthplace of the Domain Name System (DNS)

 10. To learn more about USC, follow them on social media such as Twitter, Instagram, or check out their Podcast 

College Facts Friday: UMass Amherst

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  1. Founded in 1863 as an agricultural college, UMass Amherst was originally called the Massachusetts Agricultural College.

  2. UMass Amherst is the flagship and the largest campus in the University of Massachusetts system, as well as the first established.

  3. The official college color is maroon.

  4. The White House has named UMass Amherst to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for four consecutive years, in recognition of its commitment to volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement.

  5. UMass is part of the Five Colleges Consortium, which comprises four liberal arts colleges and one university. Its students can attend classes, work with professors, check out resources, and more from other campuses. Check out which campuses are part of the five.

  6. The Minuteman Marching Band is from UMass Amherst, and it is the largest marching band in New England, consisting of more than 390 members.

  7. Notable alumni include Serena Williams (tennis player who won 4 Olympic Gold Medals) and Steve Sinofsky (former president of Windows at Microsoft)

  8. The UMass Amherst campus is known for its sustainability. In fact, this is one of the only public universities to use the fresh fruits and vegetables in the dining commons from its very own permaculture gardens. (Read more here)

  9. Residential Life at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is one of the largest on-campus housing systems in the United States. Over 14,000 students live in 52 residence halls! (Learn more here)

  10. Learn more about UMass Amherst on social media! Check out their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more!