Traditions
Alumni Scholarship Golf Outing
Years ago it was a small nine-hole event played at Shorewood Gold Course. By 2014 the annual Alumni Scholarship Golf Outing was at capacity and raising more than $15,000 for scholarships.
Arboretum
In 2019, the Cofrin Memorial Arboretum is celebrating 20 years! It forms a natural boundary of 290 acres surrounding the UW-Green Bay campus. Restoring Wisconsin’s resources is key; and walking, biking and skiing is a side benefit of the more than six miles of trails the campus community shares with the public.
Bash in the Stacks
Wisconsin’s award-winning Cofrin Library shows why it is adept at turning the tables on the old stereotype of libraries being quiet, serious places where librarians say “Shhhhhhhh” a lot. Bash in the Stacks, the annual fun and games night and library open house, is held each September to welcome back students. Past activities include tricycle races, Packers tailgating, sumo wrestling, mini-golf and more.
Cellcom Marathon
UW-Green Bay alumni and friends serve up cold and refreshing water to thousands of runners each year at the annual Cellcom Green Bay Marathon. Giving back to the community is important to alumni and the University.
Commencement Receiving Line
Just minutes following their final congratulations at commencement, new graduates are greeted with cheers, fist bumps and high-fives to welcome them into the alumni family.
Gravedancers Ball
Started in the mid-90’s the Gravedancers Ball is a favorite UW-Green Bay Halloween tradition. A costume contest, DJ, dancing and free food are always part of the festivities sponsored by Good Times Programming.
GB Nights
GB Nights is a once-per-month, after-hours event designed to enhance the quality of student life at UW-Green Bay during peak student social interaction times (10 p.m. to 1 a.m.). The free event includes art and crafts, dancing and music, food, entertainment and bling.
Holiday Parade
Since 2012, UW-Green Bay has entered the annual Downtown Green Bay Holiday Parade. Parade-goers love mingling with the student-athletes and, of course, a generous contribution of candy that is handed out each year.
Homecoming
Homecoming is a tradition that's come and gone and returned again in 2017! Week long events and activities include an all campus decorating contest, pep rally, music events, theatre performances, Krash the Kress and more! The unique part of our Homecoming is it's held to welcome students back to campus after winter break.
Internship Fair
Held once each semester, the Job & Internship Fair is an excellent opportunity for students to network and a great way for alumni to give back. Often it is a UW-Green Bay graduate who returns to campus to connect their employer with budding professionals.
Jazz Fest
Jazz Fest is in its 50th year! This long-standing music festival has been bringing Jazz greats, former faculty, students, and alumni to campus annually for more than four decades, creating an enriching educational and entertainment opportunity for the community. Past performers include Bobby Shew, Lori Bell, Kenny Werner, and many more world-renowned artists.
Krash the Kress
The biggest event of Homecoming week! Come cheer on the Green Bay Phoenix Men's Basketball team as they "Krash the Kress" for one of their final home games of the season. Students and alumni can register online, and registration includes tickets to the game, a Homecoming T-shirt, beverage tickets, swag and a chance to win a semester of tuition!
Kwanzaa
Whether on campus, or in conjunction with a community partner, UWGB has been celebrating Kwanzaa for more than a decade. The African-American celebration based on the tradition of the African harvest festival, emphasizes community and cultural pride. Attendees enjoy music, dancing and food while learning about the holiday’s origins, rites and symbols.
Move-in Day
Hundreds of faculty, staff and students greet new freshmen with a smile and a strong back at Move-In Day. Each year parents are amazed by UW-Green Bay’s friendliness.
Org Smorg
It’s a recruitment extravaganza, and its history dates back decades. “Org Smorg” is an annual event to recruit students and build awareness of the many opportunities on campus. There are typically 100-plus organizations to choose from, or students can start their own.
People Pockets
Offbeat architectural flourishes and 1970s color schemes still persist in some areas of the UW-Green Bay campus, if you know where to look. Known as “People Pockets,” these small gathering areas were the genius of Founding Chancellor Edward Weidner and early architects to promote social interaction and a collaborative environment in small areas across campus. While the tradition remains, spaces are updated to meet today's student needs.
Pep Band
The Phoenix Pep Band strives to energize the Phoenix basketball teams and provide energy and entertainment to fans. Any student who can play an instrument is welcome in the band. Especially popular with TV crews, the Band is know to play barefoot (demonstrating the need for a shoe contract), donned in Cheeseheads (letting the world know just where they hail from), or dressed in costume of color depending on the theme.
Phoenix Fans
Cheering for the Phoenix athletics teams is easy. Men’s and women’s basketball is most popular, but all of the 15 NCAA D-I programs provide great entertainment and are a source of campus pride.
Phoenix Fridays
Every Friday is a Phoenix Friday on campus! Wear UW-Green Bay apparel or swag to get a free cup of coffee at Garden Cafe located on the first floor of the Cofrin Library.
Phuture Phoenix
It’s a program now modeled from coast-to-coast. The Phuture Phoenix program encourages disadvantaged and underrepresented students, starting at the fifth-grade level, to complete high school and attend college, thus boosting the percentage of NE Wisconsin graduates who continue on to college.
Shoe Tree
Each year seniors commemorate their graduation by knotting the laces of a worn pair of sneakers and lofting them high into the branches of a campus landmark, the Shoe Tree. The origins of this custom remain a mystery. No one knows who started it but most have a tale to tell about it.