UNK Traditions
UNK Traditions
UNK is full of traditions that bring our community together and make your time here unforgettable. Whether you're looking to get involved, show off your Loper pride, or just have some fun, there's always something happening. Check out some of the biggest events and traditions at UNK!
Blue Gold Welcome Week Links to an external site.
Blue Gold Welcome is an action-packed weekend designed to welcome you to UNK. Over three days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), you will meet staff and students in your residence hall, connect with faculty and staff from all over the university, get to know other first-year students, meet many of the student leaders and student organizations on campus, and get valuable information to help you thrive at UNK.
Date: Move in weekend
Parade of Lopers
During the Parade of Lopers, you will parade through the heart of campus while your parents and/or families, faculty, staff, and upper-classmen cheer you on. You will definitely feel the Loper Spirit as UNK comes out to let you know that you belong at UNK!
Date: Move in weekend
Blue Gold Showcase/Picnic Links to an external site.
This event is part of Blue Gold Welcome Week that takes place each August during the Friday the week before classes start. Blue Gold Showcase features food, games, prizes and entertainment. (This is a great time to grab all those free pens!) Dozens of campus organizations and local businesses take part in the festival, which also includes a free picnic hosted by the UNK Chancellor that is open to all those in attendence.
Date: Move in weekend
Student Org Fairs
Student Org Fairs showcase many of the wonderful student organizations and clubs at UNK. Meet the student org leaders and advisors and find out what fits you! Get involved! Keep an eye on your Lopermail account and the digital boards and flyers around campus to see when it takes place.
Date: Fall semester
Bid Day Links to an external site.
Bid Day is where students who went through Panhellenic sorority recruitment receive a bid card to the sorority they will join.
Date: Fall semester
Homecoming Links to an external site.
Experience the Homecoming Parade, the big game, the lip sync competition, and so much more as the UNK community comes together to celebrate what it means to be a Loper. Mark your calendars for a week of high energy competition and dynamic entertainment that's become a storied tradition at UNK!
Date: Fall semester
Lip Sync/Royalty Crowning
The UNK Homecoming Lip Sync and Royalty Crowning is a premier event for the University. This event is full of teams competing with their best choreography of Lip Syncing followed by the King and Queen crowning.
Date: Fall semester
Lopers vs. Fort Hays State Links to an external site.
This is our rivalry football game where UNK goes head to head against Fort Hays State!
Date: Fall semester (Football season)
International Food Festival
You can enjoy delicious cuisine and captivating performances during the Scott D. Morris International Food and Cultural Festival.
Date: Fall semester (November)
Big Event Links to an external site.
Each year, hundreds of UNK students spread out across the community to give back during this annual day of thanks. The Big Event has taken part since 2006, with students working at dozens of job sites show their appreciation for the community by picking up litter, washing windows, painting, doing yard work and tackling other tasks.
Date: Spring Semester (April)
Spring Concert Links to an external site.
The Spring Concert is one of the biggest events of the year. Organized by the Loper Programming and Activities Council (LPAC), a student-run group, the concert has brought chart-topping artists from across the country right here to UNK.
Date: Spring Semester
Greek Week Links to an external site.
A week full of events to celebrate the Fraternity and Sorority Community and its values.
Date: Spring Semester, Typically the second week after Spring Break
New Member Presentations Links to an external site.
This is a celebration and reveal of a Multicultural Greek Council organization’s new members.
Date: End of Fall and Spring Semesters
Scholarship Awards Night Links to an external site.
This is a celebration of the Fraternity and Sorority Community’s academic achievements from the previous semester. Highest council and overall GPAs are awarded, and individuals who achieved the Dean’s List are celebrated.
Date: Fall and Spring Semesters
Graduation Links to an external site.
College graduation marks a significant milestone, a culmination of years of dedication, hard work, and growth. It's a momentous occasion where students transition from the academic world to the next phase of their lives. UNK has three graduations a year: spring, winter, and summer. All of them take place in the Health & Sports Center arena.
Date: End of each semester
Other Traditions
Throw Your Lopes
This is a school symbol of pride. Students at UNK “Throw The Lopes” to promote school spirit.
You can throw your lopes in just a few easy steps:
1. Raise your hand with your palm facing outward.
2. Touch your middle and ring fingers to your thumb while leaving your pinkie and pointer finger raised.
3. Congratulations! You just threw your lopes!