UH celebrates its 75th
with food, fun
By Kristin Buchanan
Daily Cougar Staff
The Cullen Family Plaza was alive with
festivities Wednesday in celebration of UH's 75th anniversary. The freshly
filled Cullen Fountain
flickered with reflections of the brightly
shining sun as students, faculty and staff united in dancing to the Rolling
Stones' "Harlem Shuffle."
Stephen Edinger/The Daily
Cougar
Students, faculty and staff
wait in line for free 75th anniversary Cokes and parting gifts at Cullen
Family Plaza on Wednesday. The University
provided a free lunch to those willing
to stand in line.
"UH Through the Decades," commemorating
the University's birthday, incorporated music spanning seven decades with
free food,
entertainment and prizes. The grand prize
was a reserved parking space for one lucky student.
The Good News Gospel Choir and the UH Jazz
Orchestra brought homegrown talent to the stage while long lines flanked
tables offering a
smorgasbord of free Tex-Mex food.
The event began with the UH Fight Song
performed by the Cougar Marching Band, followed by a presentation by UH
President Arthur K. Smith.
Smith honored UH benefactor Hugh Roy Cullen
and former President Philip G. Hoffman for their contributions to UH. He
also presented
students, staff and faculty with awards.
"Sometimes it's hard to believe there was
no university campus 75 years ago," he said. "Where we are standing right
now was in fact a
swampy tract of land populated with oaks,
pines and other native trees and shrubs."
Mary Richards, who has worked for UH for
21 years, said the University has come a long way from having to feed registration
cards through a
card reader.
"Technology has really changed," said Richards,
a telecommunications technician. "We've really progressed."
The student body has grown to more than
33,000 students from the 230 who attended night classes at San Jacinto
High School in 1927.
"For the past 75 years, the University
has been influencing the city of Houston," said Emily Barra, a stewardship
coordinator for the department
of University Advancement.
A photo exhibit charted UH's history —
a history of coeds in flapper dresses, student protestors and Phi Slama
Jama, the collegiate basketball
dream team with Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde
Drexler.
"It feels really great to be a part of
such a successful University program," said Shawna Farooq, a front desk
clerk at the University Hilton. "It's
good to see everyone coming together to
celebrate this occasion."
Throughout the event, students gave flowers
to faculty and staff members in appreciation for service.
"I think it is very commendable that the
University has been established for 75 years. I'm glad to be here," freshman
theater arts major
Shabakka Ingram said. "The music and the
dancing was the most fun part of this event because it showed school spirit
when everyone joined
together."
The Cullen Family Plaza was bursting with
school spirit. Cougar colors of red and white ornamented the tables and
surrounding buildings.
"This event showed the spirit of UH," freshman
mechanical technology major Hiu Li said. "It was pretty cool and fun."
"UH Through The Decades" had a great turnout,
2002 Frontier Fiesta chairwoman Beth Kungel said.
"The University did an awesome job of making
this a wonderful event," Kungel said.
