University of Michigan students take part in a series of age-old traditions that define the Wolverine experience. The commitment to tradition goes hand-in-hand with the school’s rich history.
One such tradition is the football rivalry between the University of Michigan and Ohio State University. An ESPN fan poll in 2002 and 2003 named the Buckeye-Wolverine battle as the greatest rivalry in sports. The two powerhouses usually meet for the last game of the regular season, so the showdown often has bowl game implications.
Ariella Morrison ’10 explains some more UM customs:
“Among the many Michigan traditions in which students participate is spinning ‘the Cube.’ The Cube is no ordinary art installation: this kinetic sculpture, created by Michigan alum Bernard Rosenthal and given as a gift from the class of 1965, is a giant 15-foot cube that rotates on its axis when pushed. This is a popular activity for students in various states of inebriation, and almost everyone does it at least once before graduating.
Rumor has it that if a student steps on the bronze M in the middle of the Diag before their first bluebook exam, they are destined to fail.”
The university claims to have the only alumni association with a chapter on the moon.
The crew of Apollo 15, which was comprised exclusively of UM alums, placed a charter plaque for a new alumni association chapter on the lunar surface in 1971.
The University of Michigan was named one of the 20 best campuses for LBGT students by The Advocate: College Guide for LGBT Students in 2006.
-- With special reporting by Aliza Olin ’10
