Check out this link for the Top 10 Spartan Traditions!
The University Seal: The seal featuring the head of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, was first seen in 1894 on a State Normal and Industrial School diploma. The current seal was created in 1963 when Woman’s College became UNCG.
Class Colors: Historically, classes had colors that rotated red, lavender, blue, and green every four years. When class governments were abolished in 1970, this tradition became less notable. However, these colors are still used by the Alumni Association on special occasions.
University and Academic Program Colors: The original school colors were gold and white representing the school flower. The color navy was added in 1987. Each academic program has its own color and the NAV1GATE shirt that each student receives matches the color of their academic college. Here are the colors of each college:
- Bryan School of Business and Economics - brown
- College of Arts and Sciences - yellow
- College of Visual and Performing Arts - pink
- Exploratory - gray
- School of Nursing - orange
- School of Education - light blue
- School of Health and Human Sciences - green
University Motto: “Service.” This motto was adopted by the Alumnae Association in 1893.
University Mascot: The athletic teams officially adopted the Spartan at UNCG in 1967. Men's athletic teams, which were in their formative stages then, originally took on the nickname, and women's teams soon followed. The Spartan is a symbol that embraces the University's history and one of its original marks, the greek statue Minerva which is still part of the University logo today. The new Spartan mascot was unveiled in the fall of 2004 and given a refresh in 2019 to the image we know and love today. In the fall of 2011, the Athletics Department conducted a fan contest to officially name the Spartan. "Spiro," the Greek word for spirit, was the official winner. In addition to providing spirit and excitement to Spartan sports venues, Spiro can be found at numerous events around the campus and in the Greensboro community.
School Flower: The daisy was chosen as the school flower by the Class of 1893. During NAV1GATE, each student is given a daisy during the Alumni and Traditions Walk to place in the daisy chain fence outside of the alumni house.
Alumni House: The Alumni House is your home on UNCG’s campus. Built in 1937, the House was beautifully restored and renovated in 2021 and has played host to countless events including weddings, receptions, meetings, and more.
University Bell: The University Bell first sounded the opening of the State Normal and Industrial School in October 1892. For forty years, it rang to mark significant occasions, including a fire in the old Brick Dorm. It was replaced by electric bells in 1938 and was stored until 1953 when it was mounted at the corner of College Avenue and Spring Garden Street by the Class of 1923. In 1967, the student body financed a permanent arch and landscaping for the bell which is now known as Anniversary Plaza. The bell was taken from this spot for restoration in 1987 and was mounted on a rolling frame. It is used for University celebrations such as commencement. The Vacc Bell Tower now occupies the space that formerly housed the arch.
University Flag: The University Flag bears the University colors and features the University seal. It was designed and introduced for the installation of Chancellor Patricia Sullivan in 1995.
