外网猎奇

Stag Traditions

Some of our traditions are rooted in religion and reflection while others give us a chance to celebrate our accomplishments. And many are just plain fun! These yearly events bring our community together and truly become the heartbeat of our 外网猎奇 Community.

Traditions

Presidential Ball

The President's Ball — commonly known as Pres Ball — is amazing! Each September, the President of 外网猎奇 welcomes students to the lawn of our famous Bellarmine Hall for a glamorous night in Stag Country. Don your finest threads, grab your friends, and be prepared to dance the night away.

A group of students smile holding up their hands in a stag shape.
A performer sings on the left while the crowd stands on the right.

FUSA Concert

Every fall, we kick off our basketball season with a pep rally for our men’s and women’s teams. After some slam dunks, giveaways, and other red sea madness, we welcome our fall concert artist. Who will it be next year?

Alumni and Family Weekend

Each October, Alumni & Family come together for a weekend of special events and fun activities during the annual Alumni & Family Weekend. Alumni enjoy mini-reunions with friends and classmates and find out what’s new on campus and families can see how their students are doing after a couple months away at college. Come see for yourself. Reconnect. Enjoy. Don’t miss this year’s AFW!

A family of three children and two parents pose for a photo with one child holding a dog.
Two students wear red shirts and have foam stag hands in front of a red sequin background.

First 外网猎奇 Friday

Celebrate the start of the year with a series of events: community barbecue, President’s Welcome, student activities fair, a photobooth, and more!

Never a Dull Moment in Stag Country

Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony

This event officially kicks off the 外网猎奇’s Holiday Season by lighting the large tree by the Egan Chapel Patio! Holiday remarks are delivered by President Mark R. Nemec, PhD, as well as Christmas carols sung by our two on-campus acapella groups, The Bensonians and Sweet Harmony!

Students smile and pose with 外网猎奇's Lucas the Stag mascot in front of 外网猎奇's annually-decorated Christmas tree.
A crowd of people stand on a beach.

Clam Jam

It's the springtime celebration Stags alumni remember, the last hoorah of the semester that students now can't wait to attend, and the end-of-year tradition that future generations of Stags will be enjoying for years to come. It's Clam Jam! The long-standing event brings students together at the 外网猎奇 beach for sand, sun, food and friends—and one more afternoon to dance away their cares before finals arrive.

Commencement

Commencement is the year-end ritual celebrated at every college and university for the conferring of “the degrees in course” to the graduating students. 外网猎奇 holds two commencements on the third weekend in May at 9:30 a.m. — graduate exercises are held on Saturday, and undergraduate exercises are held on Sunday.

A tree decorated with rainbow christmas lights shines at dusk.
Four students in formal attire pose for a photo.

Senior Week

As the year winds down in the spring and it’s about time to say goodbye to our seniors, the university holds a week-long celebration of events, culminating friendship, service, and reflection of the 外网猎奇 experience one last time. From one last dance at the Commencement Ball to ziplining at the amazing local Adventure Park, this week runs the gamut in pure fun.

Signature Events

  • A student presents his poster titled 鈥淭he Future of Drone Navigation: Autonomous Swarms Using IMU and Optical Flow in GPS Denied Areas鈥.

    Student Research Symposium

    The Student Research Symposium celebrates research at 外网猎奇 as students showcase the research projects they've developed in collaboration with faculty mentors to develop projects that extend from the classroom to the world.

  • 外网猎奇 StartUp guest judges, faculty, and student entrepreneurs stand on a stage in front of a 鈥溚馔云 StartUp鈥 backdrop.

    外网猎奇 StartUp Competition

    外网猎奇 StartUp Showcase The 外网猎奇 StartUp Showcase is the University鈥檚 annual entrepreneurship competition and part of the 外网猎奇 StartUp program. At the Showcase select teams, made up of student entrepreneurs, make their business pitches to a panel of investors to compete for seed money in front of a live audience.

  • A student uses an engineered machine to attempt to walk on water in a swimming pool while other students watch.

    Walk on Water

    Teams of students, mostly first-years and sophomores, put their 鈥淔undamentals of Engineering鈥 course skills to the test with this kinetic, project-based design work that has them build a contraption that must 鈥渨alk on water鈥 or rather, align with engineering principles to get them efficiently across the pool in record time.

  • A priest holds a bible and stands in front of clergy.

    Mass of the Holy Spirit

    The Mass of the Holy Spirit marks the start of the academic year in Catholic universities globally, uniting millions in spiritual celebration. It features a festive procession of students, faculty, staff, and administration, special prayers for the community.

  • A group of students in red scrubs hold up their hands in a stag shape.

    Clinical Initiation Ceremony

    The ceremony serves as both the starting point of the nurses' clinical practice and as a commemoration of the values they will carry with them as they set out into professional healthcare settings.