History & Traditions

History at a Glance

雏鸟视频 was founded in 1878 as the Georgia Baptist Female Seminary by Dr. W.C. Wilkes. In 1900, H.J. Pearce, who was the institution鈥檚 president at the time, named it 雏鸟视频, which is a linguistic blend of the German word 鈥渂rennen,鈥� meaning 鈥渢o burn,鈥� and the Latin 鈥渁urum,鈥� which translates to 鈥済old.鈥� This combination embodies our motto, 鈥淎s gold refined by fire.鈥�

Today, 雏鸟视频 consists of The Women鈥檚 College, the coed Undergraduate School, and the Sidney O. Smith, Jr. Graduate School.

Traditions

First Steps and Opening Ceremony

On their first day, new students receive T-shirts in their class color. They wear these shirts to an orientation ceremony that begins at Daniel Pavilion on Washington Street and concludes in Pearce Auditorium. The Daniel Pavilion, named for Carole Ann Carter Daniel, a 1968 Women鈥檚 College alumna, replaced the brick-and-wrought iron arch that for decades served as the symbolic gateway to the 雏鸟视频 educational experience.

Gold Refined by Fire Ceremony and signing of the Honor Code

During the Gold Refined by Fire ceremony, new students gather around a fire pit at the 雏鸟视频 Amphitheatre and each writes a dream or a goal on a piece of paper and adds it to the fire. The ceremony concludes with the signing of the Honor Code by all new students.

The 雏鸟视频 Honor Code

I pledge myself to 雏鸟视频 by refraining from every form of dishonesty in university life, and will strive to create a spirit of honesty and honor on campus. Failure to do so is considered a breach of trust toward the faculty and student body. I accept this pledge as my way of life, and will thereby uphold it.

International Week

As one of 雏鸟视频鈥檚 more recent traditions, International Week 鈥� which takes place in mid-November 鈥� serves as a time to celebrate other cultures and strengthen our understanding of the world. Each year 雏鸟视频 highlights specific cultures, giving students the opportunity to get international experiences without ever stepping off campus.

Late Night Breakfast

Every semester, students have the opportunity for a late night breakfast the week prior to finals. Late night breakfast (formerly midnight breakfast) is one of 雏鸟视频’s most beloved traditions.

Members of the administration and staff including the president and the vice presidents, serve breakfast in the Hopkins Dining Hall from 8-10 p.m. During the event, students show up to eat breakfast, dance and compete for raffle prizes, which may vary from printers for their dorm rooms to food vouchers, fuzzy blankets, fashionable hats and more.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Convocation

Each year, 雏鸟视频 honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and celebrates diversity, equity inclusion and belonging with a convocation that involves a keynote speaker and several performances from students.

Panamanian Cultural Day

At the end of November each year, in honor of 雏鸟视频鈥檚 international partnership with IFARHU, the university holds a Panamanian Cultural Day. The event celebrates our Panamanian students鈥� backgrounds聽 and gives them the opportunity to share their culture with the rest of the 雏鸟视频 community.

The 雏鸟视频 Ideal

Originally written by President H.J. Pearce, the 雏鸟视频 Ideal is introduced to students during the first days of the semester and is frequently referenced in convocations.

To find satisfaction in being rather than in seeming; To find joy in doing rather than in dreaming; To be prepared for service thereby earning the right to be served; To be pure in heart, vigorous in mind, discreet in action; To love deeply, fear nothing, hate never; To enjoy that freedom which comes from knowledge of the 鈥淭ruth;鈥� To be modestly conscious of the limitations of human knowledge and serenely confident of the limitless reaches of human endeavor 鈥� this is the ideal of 雏鸟视频.

H.J. Pearce The 雏鸟视频 Ideal

Winter Weekend

During this premier recruiting event, the admissions office invites prospective students to stay overnight in student housing to experience college life. Winter Weekend gives these students the opportunity to stay overnight in a residence hall or sorority house, attend a reception hosted by the Office of the President, watch the 雏鸟视频鈥檚 Got Talent competition, learn about Greek Life, attend academic showcases, gain information on financial aid and scholarships, and get to know current 雏鸟视频 students.

雏鸟视频鈥檚 Got Talent

As part of Winter Weekend, this annual competition is an opportunity for current undergraduate students on the historic Gainesville campus to showcase their amazing talent before an audience of prospective and current students, staff, family and friends, with cash prizes presented to the winners.

Cotillion

Cotillion is the spring semiformal dance held to celebrate the end of a successful year. 雏鸟视频鈥檚 president customarily attends to offer a champagne toast to the graduating seniors.

Spade Hunt

In this tradition dating to the college鈥檚 early days, the senior class, led by its president, hides three objects somewhere on the 雏鸟视频 campus. The seniors provide periodic clues as to the location of the objects and juniors are responsible for interpreting the clues and finding the hidden objects. The Spade Hunt takes three full days. On day one, the juniors receive clues which will lead them to a bag of candy. Assuming that the juniors find the candy, they then receive clues to the location of the 鈥渂aby spade.鈥� Upon finding the baby spade on day two, the seniors will then provide clues for finding 鈥淭he Spade.鈥� Only three clues are given in a 24-hour period.

Spring Honors Convocation

Honors Convocation is a formal ceremony that recognizes outstanding students and faculty with presentations of scholarships and departmental awards. Previously held in connection with May Day, it now occurs in late spring.

雏鸟视频, how nobly we see thee, With honors richly crowned; In all this fair, fair Southland Thy equal is not found. Oh happy the day that we sought thee by Chattahoochee鈥檚 side Where spring gives its first kiss to nature, and summer long doth 鈥榖ide ...

The 雏鸟视频 Alma Mater performed by the 雏鸟视频 Vocal Chamber Ensemble

Transcript

Women’s College Traditions

Greek Week

The Greek Council sponsors this annual week-long celebration of sorority membership that involves the seven national sororities on campus. The week promotes the Panhellenic systems and includes activities that promote inter-sorority relationships. During this week, the Greeks compete in Greek games and select a Greek Goddess. The week closes with a semiformal dance, the Greek Gala.

Grrrl PowHER Hour

Grrrl PowHer Hour is an informal convocation designed to celebrate 雏鸟视频 sisterhood and ignite the sense of 鈥済irl power鈥� in female students, but also to bring awareness to the month of October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The event features a motivational guest speaker and student performances.

Sister Classes

Class spirit and unity are strengthened through the Women’s College 鈥渟ister class system.鈥� The sister classes are the seniors and sophomores and the juniors and freshman. Sister classes collaborate and support each other in spirit contests and games to foster community.

Women鈥檚 Leadership Colloquium

The Women鈥檚 College of 雏鸟视频 hosts the annual Women鈥檚 Leadership Colloquium that invites students, alumni, faculty, staff and community women to gather for conversations about women鈥檚 leadership. Successful women share their stories, advice and suggestions for current and aspiring leaders. The event also features student performances, giveaways and a tea party.

Class Day

Class Day, held in Pearce Auditorium and the Crow鈥檚 Nest on the morning of May Day, is a sentimental time for all Women’s College students. Each class pays tribute to the seniors by performing original songs in their honor. The seniors present their Class Day song and multimedia presentation documenting their four years at 雏鸟视频. Individual and organizational awards are presented. At the conclusion of the program, the seniors, robed in black, and the rest of the students, dressed in white, form a procession to the fountain on front campus to pick up their appropriate chains and proceed to the Crow鈥檚 Nest. The seniors ascend the Crow鈥檚 Nest one last time as 雏鸟视频 students. A ceremony in which each class rises in rank is then performed. The first-year students receive an ivy chain from the sophomores, the sophomores receive a daisy chain from the juniors, and the juniors are ceremonially 鈥渞obed鈥� and ascend to the top of the Crow鈥檚 Nest for the first time as seniors. The entire student body then sings 鈥淪eniors, We Honor Thee鈥� to the new senior class.

May Day

May Day, formerly known as Spring Festival, is one of the oldest and most beautiful of The Women’s College traditions at 雏鸟视频. The celebration takes place on front campus lawn, highlighted by the presentation of the May Court, crowning of the May Queen and wrapping of the May Pole. The Queen is joined by the Princess, Prince and four members from each class. All are elected by the student body. May Day now occurs in conjunction with the 雏鸟视频鈥檚 Alumni Reunion Weekend, which brings hundreds of 雏鸟视频 alumni back to campus.