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University of Northern Colorado Traditions

The University of Northern Colorado has a rich and dynamic 134-year history. As the university has evolved and grown with each generation of Bears, many favorite traditions have emerged to celebrate the spirit, community and diversity that make UNC a special place for all of us.

Homecoming

UNC alumni first celebrated Homecoming in 1923 and have since continued this tradition. This year marks our 100th Homecoming, an annual celebration held in conjunction with a home football game (Go Bears!). The festivities include weeklong student spirit activities, an evening pep rally and bonfire with the Pride of the Rockies Marching band, and alumni gatherings across campus.

Cranford Cornerstone

Much celebration surrounded the laying of the cornerstone of the first building constructed at the new State Normal School in Greeley in 1890. The building was later named Cranford Hall after the businessman who donated most of the land for the school. Although the building was ravaged by time and a fire and had to eventually be demolished in 1972, its cornerstone was salvaged and is prominently displayed near the west entrance to Carter Hall as a reminder of our historic founding.

Gunter Hall

During Gunter Hall's renovation in 1996, architects salvaged as many of the 1928 building's historic features as possible, including the center court of the gym floor, original wall murals and the famous Gunter bells, which had been replaced three times prior to the renovation. Today the bells ring electronically, but no less proudly to mark the passage of time across campus as they have for generations of UNC students.

Hi Bridge

A gift from the 1940 senior class, Hi Bridge is located between Gunter Hall and Gray Hall and originally led to the front door of Bru Inn, the former student union. The bridge established the tradition that anyone who crossed it, friend or stranger, were to greet each other with a cordial "Hi." Today, undergraduate students apply to become a Hi Bridge Society delegate, representing UNC hospitality at its best at numerous alumni and community events. Delegates are named and recognized during the annual Homecoming celebration.

Becoming the Bears

Until 1925, the official name of the university's athletic teams was the Teachers. The following year, our mascot became a brown Bear, in recognition of the bear carving atop an Alaskan Tlingit totem pole that was part of the Greeley campus since 1914. Nicknamed "Totem Teddy," it served as a school symbol until 2003, when it was properly returned to the Tlingit tribe under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. The bronze statue Northern Vision now serves as the visual representation of UNC's beloved Bear identity and mascot.

Northern Vision

Since 2004, Northern Vision, our 12-foot-high, 2,000-pound, bronze sculpture of a bear on the north lawn of the University Center (UC), has watched intently over our campus community. Created and donated by local sculptors at the behest of a cadre of persuasive UNC alumni, the eye-catching piece of art faces southeast toward the UC, the vibrant hub for student life, symbolizing the university's focus on students. Northern Vision is a favorite photo spot to capture two iconic UNC moments—the conclusion of a student's first campus tour and a student's commencement photo in cap and gown regalia.