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Pitt Traditions

Jun 21, 2001
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Working on a project.
What would be top ten landmarks,features,buildings,traditions at Pitt?
Thanks in advance
 
My wife mentioned "rubbing the Panther's nose" outside student union for luck on exams.
 
Working on a project.
What would be top ten landmarks,features,buildings,traditions at Pitt?
Thanks in advance

Wikipedia is your friend or some of these.

Some things like traditions are hard to define.

The heart and soul of the university, and what makes it unique compared to any other school, is the Cathedral of Learning, and inside it, the Commons Room and Nationality Rooms. Students over the last decade and a half have affectionately referred to it as "Cathy".

Other campus-defining buildings are Heinz Chapel, the William Pitt Union, the Litchfield Towers, the Stephen Foster Memorial, the Frick Fine Arts Building, Alumni Hall, Hillman Library, and the Petersen Events Center (or the "Pete"). Features of campus would include the Cathedral Lawn which include the Varsity and ODK walks, Cardiac Hill, various Panther statues, "the O" (Original Hot Dog Shop), Soldier's & Sailor's lawn, Schenley Plaza or Schenley Park, the Carnegie Museums, and maybe as the oldest surviving campus bar, Hemingway's (or "Hems").

Pitt's oldest slogan is its cheer "Alleghenee , genack, genack!" which goes back to at least 1890, but its most popular slogan/greeting is "Hail to Pitt", which is often abbreviated these days as "H2P". "Hail to Pitt" is also the title of the university's fight song which has been a staple for over 100 years. A modern favorite is singing "Sweet Caroline" at football games with "Go Pitt!" interjected into it.

Pitt's oldest running traditional ceremony (other than graduation) is Lantern Night which is nearly 100 years old. More recent traditions include the Victory Lights illuminating the top off the Cathedral of Learning after football wins or other major victories, an annual homecoming fireworks and laser show in front of the Cathedral of Learning during homecoming weekend, the annual student Fall Fest or Bigelow Bash, crossing the Forbes Field home plate in Posvar Hall for luck before tests, or rubbing the student union's Panther's nose for luck. It depends how you define traditions.
 
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A tradition as old as intercollegiate athletics itself; screwing up the FB program by the Faculty and AthDept empty suits
 
$2 all you can eat wings for one hour at CJ Barney’s in the late 80’s.

Loved my classes at Frick Fine Arts, just a great campus environment.

Bathrooms at Caleco’s in the early 90’s. No door to get into the stall, poor mf’ers that had to go #2 did so in full view of the people lined up to use the urinals.
 
Wikipedia is your friend or some of these.

Some things like traditions are hard to define.

The heart and soul of the university, and what makes it unique compared to any other school, is the Cathedral of Learning, and inside it, the Commons Room and Nationality Rooms. Students over the last decade and a half have affectionately referred to it as "Cathy".

Other campus-defining buildings are Heinz Chapel, the William Pitt Union, the Litchfield Towers, the Stephen Foster Memorial, the Frick Fine Arts Building, Alumni Hall, Hillman Library, and the Petersen Events Center (or the "Pete"). Features of campus would include the Cathedral Lawn which include the Varsity and ODK walks, Cardiac Hill, various Panther statues, "the O" (Original Hot Dog Shop), Soldier's & Sailor's lawn, Schenley Plaza or Schenley Park, the Carnegie Museums, and maybe as the oldest surviving campus bar, Hemingway's (or "Hems").

Pitt's oldest slogan is its cheer "Alleghenee , genack, genack!" which goes back to at least 1890, but its most popular slogan/greeting is "Hail to Pitt", which is often abbreviated these days as "H2P". "Hail to Pitt" is also the title of the university's fight song which has been a staple for over 100 years. A modern favorite is singing "Sweet Caroline" at football games with "Go Pitt!" interjected into it.

Pitt's oldest running traditional ceremony (other than graduation) is Lantern Night which is nearly 100 years old. More recent traditions include the Victory Lights illuminating the top off the Cathedral of Learning after football wins or other major victories, an annual homecoming fireworks and laser show in front of the Cathedral of Learning during homecoming weekend, the annual student Fall Fest or Bigelow Bash, crossing the Forbes Field home plate in Posvar Hall for luck before tests, or rubbing the student union's Panther's nose for luck. It depends how you define traditions.
Paco,
Great reply —-thanks for posting. I would add the penny collection from Pittsburgh kids to build the Cathedral— I know that’s not a tradition but it definitely shows the connection between the city and the university. Both of my parents contributed their penny’s and very proud that they had, neither attended the university or any college but always proud of Pitt.
 
Wikipedia is your friend or some of these.

Some things like traditions are hard to define.

The heart and soul of the university, and what makes it unique compared to any other school, is the Cathedral of Learning, and inside it, the Commons Room and Nationality Rooms. Students over the last decade and a half have affectionately referred to it as "Cathy".

Other campus-defining buildings are Heinz Chapel, the William Pitt Union, the Litchfield Towers, the Stephen Foster Memorial, the Frick Fine Arts Building, Alumni Hall, Hillman Library, and the Petersen Events Center (or the "Pete"). Features of campus would include the Cathedral Lawn which include the Varsity and ODK walks, Cardiac Hill, various Panther statues, "the O" (Original Hot Dog Shop), Soldier's & Sailor's lawn, Schenley Plaza or Schenley Park, the Carnegie Museums, and maybe as the oldest surviving campus bar, Hemingway's (or "Hems").

Pitt's oldest slogan is its cheer "Alleghenee , genack, genack!" which goes back to at least 1890, but its most popular slogan/greeting is "Hail to Pitt", which is often abbreviated these days as "H2P". "Hail to Pitt" is also the title of the university's fight song which has been a staple for over 100 years. A modern favorite is singing "Sweet Caroline" at football games with "Go Pitt!" interjected into it.

Pitt's oldest running traditional ceremony (other than graduation) is Lantern Night which is nearly 100 years old. More recent traditions include the Victory Lights illuminating the top off the Cathedral of Learning after football wins or other major victories, an annual homecoming fireworks and laser show in front of the Cathedral of Learning during homecoming weekend, the annual student Fall Fest or Bigelow Bash, crossing the Forbes Field home plate in Posvar Hall for luck before tests, or rubbing the student union's Panther's nose for luck. It depends how you define traditions.
Thanks,working with a group called Dyehard who manage your athletic department stores and website. We are creating a collage of logos,buildings,landmarks . Used Wiki but knew some on here could help.
 
If that qualifies as a tradition, I must be ANCIENT! (That building opened the year I enrolled in GSPIA.)
Well, more like 2 degrees of Kevin Bacon / tradition. Forbes Field and its proximity to Pitt (literally a stones throw, when Hillman was constructed) and then it's demolition lending to the building that I believe probably has the most usable square footage on campus (dunno how the cathedral compares) -- never mind it's eyesore factor ... certainly comes as close to 'ancient' as we're likely to get. Id agree, it wouldn't be tradition at all IF the design of Forbes Quad / Posvar and Mervis hadn't included those artifacts of FF...
 
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