Arch Tour Training

1. Downtown Athens

- So we’ll start our tour here. Across from me is one of the most important symbols here at UGA: the Arch, whose pillars represent the virtues of wisdom, justice, and moderation. It also separates where we are right now, what we call North Campus, from the Classic City North of the Arch.

- As you can see, North of the Arch, we have Downtown Athens, The Classic City, considered one of the greatest college towns in America.

- It was named by Rolling Stone Magazine as the town with the best college music scene. R.E.M. and the B-52s are two examples of Athens-native bands, and we have a rich history of live concerts that extends into the present day.

- For those of you who are familiar with Megan Moroney, she is also a 2020 UGA graduate who began performing while she was still a student.

- Beyond music, we have an incredible array of restaurants, coffee shops, and local businesses.

2. Holmes-Hunter Academic Building

- Named after Hamilton Holmes & Charlayne Hunter-Gault, the first Black students to enroll at UGA in 1961, the year that our university was integrated.

- At UGA, one-third of current UGA students report an ethnic origin other than white. [and] The student body is made up of students from all 50 states and 115 nations, so it’s very important for us to highlight our history and the incredible, diverse community here at UGA.

- The building is home to the Office of Student Financial Aid, so as a student, if you ever have a question about a scholarship, a financial aid offer, credit eligibility, etc., this is the building you will go to.

3. Demosthenian vs. Phi Kappa

- Demosthenian and Phi Kappa are literary societies that were among the first student organizations in the early 1800’s.

- They also have a historical rivalry, as two debate-oriented organizations. They held debates in their respective, historic buildings on opposite sides of the UGA North Campus quad, and have been known to debate each other as well.

- Now there are 900+ officially registered student organizations, ranging from Student Government Association to a lettuce eating club. That’s true! There’s a club on campus where you’re given five minutes to eat an entire head of lettuce.

- On a more serious note, student organizations are one of the most important elements of campus life, and I can say personally…

- In your first semester of college, commit to joining something. Get involved right away in an organization or activity that interests you and that will give you an immediate sense of connectedness.

4. Chapel + Bell

- Built in 1832, this building has definitely seen some history. Religious services were once required for students of UGA, but the building is now used for presentations, events, and lectures. It’s also popular for weddings!

- Over the years, famous dignitaries have spoken at the Chapel, such as a retired Supreme Court Justice, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, the CEO of Chick-fil-A, and members of the country music group Lady A.

- While we can’t go inside right now, on the inside, there is one of the world’s largest framed oil paintings, a painting of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. This painting has survived dry rot, a wagon ride between Alabama and Athens, two fires, multiple restorations, and over a century and a half of display, and it’s still on view into the present day behind the stage.

- Freshmen were expected by upperclassmen to keep the Chapel bell ringing till midnight after a UGA victory. Now, it’s used by students to signal personal victories. Students will ring it if they do well on a test, if they get accepted to their college or to grad school, and it’s definitely part of the culture of UGA to ring it at least a few times during your time in Athens.

5. Herty Field

- First athletic field. Named for UGA alumnus and Chemistry professor Charles Herty, who brought football to UGA. Herty and his roommate from Auburn were introduced to the new sport of football at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore during graduate school and brought it back to their respective alma maters, thus creating the south's oldest football rivalry.

- First football game in 1892: UGA defeated Mercer 50-0.

- First mascot? A goat. Early in the 20th century, the bulldog became the primary mascot, though it’s unclear exactly when that happened. Every Uga has been owned by the Seiler family of Savannah, GA. Uga has regularly been crowned by Sports Illustrated and other publications as the most iconic mascot in college sports. So, we’ve come full circle. Our mascot is still the GOAT.

6. Honors College

- One of the oldest Honors Colleges in the country, UGA’s Honors College consistently ranks within the top tier nationwide, and was actually ranked #1 in the nation by “College Transitions.”

- The Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities, also known as CURO, is also housed in the Honor’s College, which is the program through which most student research is conducted at UGA. UGA is an R1 research school, and through this program, students are able to apply for funding, stipends, and financial support for their research.

- I am personally working on a CURO project right now with a focus on artificial intelligence, and I plan to present my research in Chicago later this month! So I can personally speak to how incredible this program is, and if you have any interest in research at all, I strongly suggest that you check this out.

7. Old College + New College

- UGA is the birthplace of public higher education in America, chartered in 1785, and this is Old College: the very first building on campus (built in 1806). It was modeled after Connecticut Hall at Yale University, and because it was the first building built and, at the time, they weren’t sure which way campus would grow, the front and the back of the building are identical.

- New College was built in 1822 and houses the Vice President for Instruction (VP Anna Pagnattaro), and it was just renovated in 2010.

8. UGA Law School

- At UGA, we have one of the nation's most selective public law schools, and we are among top 5 public law schools for supplying clerks to the U.S. Supreme Court since 2000.

- Minor in Law, Jurisprudence, and the State.

- Law library is ranked 8th nationally with almost 400,000 titles.

9. Main Library

- The Main Library is the flagship of the university's library system, housing over 3.9 million volumes and 7 stories of study spaces. It also features a microfilm lab, an open study floor for collaborative work, antique selections of books, and Einstein Bros Bagels.

- [insert architecture story, Ilah Dunlap Little]

10. Tate Student Center

- UGA's "living room." Opened in 1983, Tate is named for legendary 20th century Dean of Men, William Tate. Includes a movie theater, 2 food courts, and multi-purpose meeting spaces and offices for student activities and organizations. The 2009 $60 million, 100,000 square foot expansion doubled the size of the student center.

11. UGA Book Store

- Offers apparel, snacks, UGA merchandise, art supplies, computers, and textbooks. Open till 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Closes at 5 on Friday. Open Saturday and Sunday till 5.

- Textbook rate matching program!

12. Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium

- 5th largest on-campus stadium in the USA. Capacity is 93,033. Average home attendance has ranked among the nation's top 10 for more than two decades.

- First game in Sanford: 1929, UGA defeated Yale 15-0.

- "Between the hedges": English privet hedge around the field is famous. Was removed in 1996 to make room for Olympic soccer. Clippings ("sons & daughters" of the hedge) were transplanted to greenhouses in Thomson, GA and at a secret location in FL (in GA soil) and the hedges were replaced in time for the '96 season.

14. Miscellaneous Buildings

- Lustrat - Legal Affairs Office

- Peabody - Religion & Philosophy Depts.

- Caldwell - Communication Studies

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