University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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One Saturday morning, a house on State Street plays Hail to U A V :..... f ,.,u:i vd of students making their way to the Ohio State footbattgamc stops traffic and sings along. Michigan fans, students, and alumni ventured to Ann Arbor to celebrate the olverines and the Buckeyes. J. Neff photo

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Long Live VrU Wolverine made it their duty to never felt too far removed from the University. Still devoted to his alma mater, graduate pharmacy student and Alumni Association member Vinay Yakkundi explained, 1 still go to football games or watch them on TV. We ' ve always had devoted alumni because one learns skills here you use once you ' ve graduated. It makes people feel grateful and want to the return the favor. Yakkundi ' s support was an example of how alumni showed support. Commonly known phrases Hail to the Victors and Go Blue echoed from the corner of Main and Stadium for a few hours on seven Saturdays during the fall. Well over one hundred thousand fans attended every football game, and only a fraction were current students and the rest were alumni. To create a hostile atmosphere for the opposing team, it was often up to alumni to help the students makes noise. Sophomore mechanical engineering major Bob Turkovich grew up attending football games. When asked about the University ' s devoted alumni, he said one person came to mind: Paul Edwards. Turkovich shared, Paul ' s been going to games since he graduated. He encouraged the section during every game to be the loudest of the alumni. He had his own cheers, like ' Move the Chains ' after every first down, ' Bomb that sucker ' before an offensive play on first down, and a ' Defense ' chant after a third down stop. He tailgated before every game and during the game he got the most energetic kids [in the section] involved and psyched up. Alumni supported much for than just the athletics. Sophomore material science and engineering major, Laura Povlich, explained, There were a lot of alumni members in the Ballroom Dance Club. They danced, but they also contributed financially to the club. It definitely made it easier to [keep the club going.] The support of alumni helped current students to create their own pride in the University. It helped to see other people, even after they graduated, putting time and energy into the school. It made you realize what a good place to be this was. On and off campus, alumni supported their alma mater. Through the Alumni Association web site, alumni were able to stay updated about events on campus as well as make donations to the University. Some renovations, including those in the School of Social Work, were made possible only through alumni contributions. In some cases it was solely because of devoted alumni that current students were able to have the experiences and opportunities that they had. From sporting events to the dance floor, alumni support continuously influenced current students ' experiences at the University. 370 Graduates Former football players stand on the field awaiting the team ' s entrance before the Michigan versus Ohio State game. In addition to ex-players, many alumni attend the football games to support the team. I.. Proux photo