UF welcomes over 600 new students

A little rain didn't stop over 600 new students from being welcomed into Oiler Nation as they were celebrated yesterday during the University of Findlay's arch ceremony. Thousands of students have passed under the arch since it was erected in 1923. A long-held tradition states that students shouldn't walk through the arch until their graduation ceremony. Last year, the university celebrated 100 years of students marching under the arch. "It's our most beloved tradition, welcoming students into our community," University of Findlay President Dr. Katherine Fell said in a previous interview. "The beauty of that tradition is that it adds to the joy when we all line up in our regalia inside the arch and send the graduating class out into the world." The arch, which was commissioned in 1923 by the parents of former student Caddie Griffith, faces Main Street on the university's campus near downtown Findlay. The arch has received two makeovers since its construction. The first occurred in 1989 when it was moved farther from the street. It was altered a second time in 1990, when "The University of Findlay" was inscribed onto the stone after the school changed its name from the original "Findlay College." The Findlay College lettering now faces Old Main, the oldest building on campus. Classes begin Monday, Aug. 19.