Spirit Splash

Homecoming is just around the corner at the University of Central Florida.

And, obviously, it wouldn't be a Homecoming week without "Spirit Splash," that mad frenzy of students swarming the waters of the Reflection Pond.

This has become a staple of campus life at UCF, something spoken about on campus tours and during freshman orientation, something looked forward to by young and old students alike, by faculty and staff, by the community at large...it is a tradition that has come to represent all of student life, and its images have become iconic...But how did Spirit Splash start? How has it grown? What were the experiences of students during the early years of Spirit Splash? And what traditions have, themselves, been formed during the Spirit Splash celebration (from squirt guns, to the fountain guard, to slip n slides)?

As always, leave some comments or drop me an email (nholic@mail.ucf.edu). I'd love to hear your thoughts and stories; I'd love to speak with you; and I'd love to see your pictures of the event.

What Does It Mean to Be Greek at UCF?

It would be impossible to discuss the history and the traditions of the University of Central Florida without discussing the Greek Community on campus. Fraternities and sororities, in fact, have been around almost since the start of classes in the late '60s.

Right now, obviously, the goings-on of the Greek Community are well-publicized. The Central Florida Future covers their every major event, and each fraternity and sorority has a web site filled with news, event listings, accomplishments, etc. It's easy to learn how many members each group has, and what their goals, values, and missions are.

But I want to know more about how each fraternity and sorority was founded at UCF. I want to know about the early days, the years before Greek housing, the years when the "Greek Ghetto" across the street from campus was, actually, the only Greek Row around. I want to know about the struggle to build a Greek Row, the first years of occupancy, the early traditions...In short, I want this book to be able to document how important Greek Life has been to the University of Central Florida, and I need the help of those students, faculty, and administrators who were a part of that history.

If you've got stories, pictures, or would like to chat at all, please contact me as soon as possible. As I said, I can't tell the story of UCF without telling the story of Greek Life.

Did You Go To School At FTU?

This campus history will not just document the school's recent growth, but also the school's early years as "Florida Technological University," and its strange, interesting, and exciting transformation into the "University of Central Florida."

Few who attended school at FTU will recognize the current campus, and while many traditions and campus activities survive, nearly thirty years have passed since the name change on campus. We want to make sure that the culture of FTU is preserved.

If you attended school at Florida Technological University, drop us an email (available at my complete profile, on the right side of the page) to share stories of the old campus. What were the prevailing traditions of the day? Which were the campus landmarks and hangouts? What sort of school was FTU throughout the '70s, and what did students believe it would become? What were your thoughts on the name change, and what do you think of the current UCF campus?

We're interested not just in your stories and your thoughts, but also in your photographs, so if you've got some great shots of the old FTU campus, let us know...your pictures could wind up as archival material in this campus history.

Also, for those of you interested in following along throughout the research and writing process, the Orlando Sentinel recently posted this story about the school's first day of classes:

"University of Central Florida Celebrates 40 Years of Growth"

UCF Historical Timeline