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

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S SHOW SOME I I On football Saturdays, downtown Ann Arbor bustled with dedicated fans from all over the U.S. Eager to buy paraphernalia with the Michigan insignia, they visited campus book stores and sport shops. Students and alumni alike mentally prepared for the upcoming game. Sporting the University ' s famous Maize and Blue colors from head to toe, these fans were ready to cheer the Wolverines on to victory. Excitement mounted as they chatted about national reputations, sports rankings, and academic excellence on their way to the stadium. These fans demonstrated their unlimited pride in the University with a manner so full of energy and confidence that it could only be termed one thing the Michigan spirit. The Michigan spirit was part of a tradition of pride in the University. Since its beginnings in 1817, the University has been the center of several major political movements. President Kennedy first spoke of an organization aimed at over-seas volunteerism on the front steps of the Michigan Union. This group later became known as the Peace Corps. Protesting U.S. involvement in Vietnam, professors held the first teach-ins to inform students about international implications. In honor of several of the first astronauts ' alma mater, a University flag was placed on the surface of the moon. Such events established the University as an international symbol of a spirited community dedicated to both national and global involvement. Abounding school spirit was also present in every sporting event, whether big or small, on or off campus. Maize and Blue faces during football games, students sleeping in frigid temperatures for basketball tickets, and fans traveling to by Kimberly Owczarski Detroit ' s Joe Louis Arena to watch hockey tournaments became widely recognized images of school spirit. Sports teams with smaller followings, like the championship swim teams, the gymnastics teams, or the baseball and Softball teams, also had die- hard supporters at every match. The Michigan Marching Band offered their own form of support by playing the fight song at numerous sporting events. University teams continued the tradition of being the pinnacle of the sports world with the help of the fans ' unquenchable school spirit. One of the other sources of Michigan spirit was the University ' s challenging academic reputation. The U ' s rigorous academic standards were worthy of constant comparisons to the Ivy League schools. Michigan consistently scored at the top of the class with many of its programs, including the law ' These fans demonstrated their unending pride in the University am i psychology with a manner so full of energy departments. and confidence that it could only Students in difficult be termed one thing the Michigan spirit. concentrations wore sweatshirts proclaiming their allegiance to LS A, engineering, medical, or other schools. Students became aware that earning their degree from the University of Michigan gave them an edge on graduate school applications or in starting their careers. The pride in attending one of the best universities in the nation propelled life-long support and spirit for Michigan. While school spirit meant something different for everyone, the University of Michigan ' s history, sports, and academic reputation were consistently identified as catalysts for student support. In a college known for excellence, the student body participated in all that the University had to offer. Thus, as U-M continued to expand its influence, the Michigan spirit became even stronger and swelled with unending pride. 26 M c a L PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHIP PETERSON