The Big Picture: Quad Day

Forget social media. There’s nothing like a swarm of people meeting and greeting each other face-to-face. Every August, more than 1,000 University of Illinois student organizations gather to hawk their activities—from salsa dancing to sustainability practices—on Quad Day, which kicks off the start of the academic year. The first Quad Day occurred in 1971 amid the tensions of the Vietnam War and focused more on bringing together opposing forces: students, administrators, faculty and government officials. A modest number of student organizations participated, and a soul band played in the evening.

See more on the history of Quad day in Illinois Alumni Magazine.