Traditions

Thanksgiving Dinner
In the late 1950's, when UNE was still St. Francis College, this tradition began when faculty spouses decided to make Thanksgiving dinner for the students. Today, the tradition continues as faculty and staff serve a family-style meal to the students. The meal is highly anticipated, and the Decary Dining Hall is always packed with students when this Thursday-before-Thanksgiving tradition comes each year.

Hall Olympics
Each spring semester, the Hall Council offers up this series of competitive fun and games to residential students, encouraging some healthy team spirit, allowing students to win money and prizes for their residence hall, and just generally have a great time. Events happen each night of the week and could vary from obstacle courses to scavenger hunts. It's good clean fun and a favorite tradition of residence life.

Spring Semi-Formal
This event is eagerly awaited each year by students as perhaps one of the few times since high school prom that they get to dress up and look their best, as the Activities Program Board sponsors a semi-formal dance at a local hotel. It's a chance to spend a "night on the town" for most students and break a sweat on the dance floor! This event happens every March, and tickets usually go on sale two weeks prior.

"Lock-In"
Undergraduate Student Government sponsors at least one Lock-In each year. These are events held in the Campus Center, traditionally called a "Lock-In" because students come in and stay the whole night, but in recent years, students are allowed to leave just once from the event. The Lock-In commonly hosts an array of activities, including hypnotists, comedians, magicians, game shows and mock casinos with prizes, climbing walls, joust games, inflatable obstacle courses, and other various fun and games.

Variety Show
uctraditions1Just passing it's 26th anniversary, the Variety Show, started by Dr. Gilbert Samuel from the Department of Life Sciences (DLS), offers students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to come together for a night of talent (and maybe just a little bit of comedy). Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to show off some of their musical, singing, comedic, and dance ability for an audience of their peers. Always well attended and highly anticipated, everyone waits to see what DLS will come up with this year!

Jamfest
Typically the last of the year's major events, Jamfest is the annual outdoor concert with a carnival atmosphere. Two or three bands perform outside to a crowd of over 300 while student clubs and organizations offer wares and fund-raising activities at booths and tables, and students can enjoy themselves in the inflatable volleyball, bouncy house, or obstacle course, or test their skill on a climbing wall. Each year, the bands are different and the events are different, but Jamfest has the same spring fling atmosphere, making the last of the year's major traditions.

For more information about traditions, contact the Office of Student Activities at (207) 283-0170, extension 2595 or contact Greg Shambarger or Mark Nahorney.    
US News - Best Colleges
     

Back to Top

 
» Advanced Search