The tradition that keeps our campus tied together with a pretty green and yellow bow.
We all know about University Day. When the banner goes up across 13th Avenue on campus in early May, the student body knows it’s that time of year to give back to campus. Majority of students on campus know about the event, and several hundred participate each year, but they do not know what exactly goes in to planning this large-scale event.
This University Day committee is a group of about 10 students and a faculty advisor who spend the entire school year planning that one day in May. The committee is in charge of brainstorming and implementing the theme of the event, planning the year-specific service project, reaching out to donors and increasing student and staff participation, among other things.
University Day aims to bring the entire campus community together in a campus-wide beautification event that takes place each spring. Hundreds of students, staff and faculty gather together to plant flowers, spread bark dust, and enjoy live entertainment provided by campus groups. The event is strategically placed to beautify the campus before commencement ceremonies begin and prospective students visit campus for IntroDUCKtion in early June.
The committee is lead by University Day Chair, Kara Orsolini, whose guidance makes the entire event possible. One of the reasons Kara is so passionate about U Day is the tradition behind it.
“I absolutely love the tradition behind University Day. I spent hours poring over old yearbooks and looking through archives online.” She explains, “the event feels so much more intimate to me now.”
In 1905, the university’s equivalent of today’s Division of Student Life, got an idea. With commencement ceremonies just weeks away and much work to be done in preparation, why not recruit students to help with the beatification process? This event would not only result in a visually appealing campus, but would replace the disruptive, destructive and sometimes violent class-on-class Flag Rush days.
This year’s University Day will take place on Thursday, May 21. The event is a great way to give back to campus and earn community service house. Plus, for one hour of service, you get a free U Day tee shirt! Giving a little bit of your time benefits our campus greatly and makes an even bigger part of University of Oregon tradition.