Tiger Walk turns 10

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A. Sue Weisler

The first Tiger Walk in 2004 welcomed students to campus. Today, students wear brown and faculty, staff and parents wear orange to show school spirit.

Incoming first-year students this fall will participate in the 10th annual Tiger Walk as part of New Student Convocation.

Started by RIT men’s baseball Head Coach Rob Grow ’88 and the office of Alumni Relations, the first Tiger Walk was held in the fall of 2004 and drew only a small crowd. Today, faculty and staff from various departments, current students and family members flood the Quarter Mile with homemade posters and noisemakers.

When new students pass by, the crowd cheers and high-fives them as the Pep Band performs and Ritchie makes a special appearance. “It has been seen by the RIT faculty and staff as a great way to show that they are here for the students, that students are the priority at RIT,” Grow said.

In 2006, to increase school spirit, new students wore brown T-shirts while all other attendees were encouraged to wear orange, an initiative that was introduced by Grow and James Macchiano ’06, ’09, who was then the acting Student Government president. That tradition has continued. “On that one day all of the Field House has a true feeling of RIT,” Macchiano said. “It is important to let new students know how much we appreciate them and that they have truly chosen a unique school with a unique experience.”