WINTHROP TRADITIONS MELD PAS

Think “tradition” is synonymous with “boring”? That history means little in today’s lightning-fast world? Winthrop respectfully disagrees. For 130 years, Winthrop has used its past as a means to shape its future, allowing older traditions to mod- ernize for today’s global-minded students and new traditions to emerge.

One of Winthrop’s most beloved traditions, the Blue Line, has grown since its inception in 1895 to become a campuswide gathering that welcomes the incoming freshman class into the Winthrop community. The Blue Line binds together tens of thousands of alumni who have participated in

the tradition. Founding President D.B. Johnson established the Blue Line, originally leading the female student body — dressed in blue and white uniforms — down Oakland Avenue to Sunday services. Thus, the name “Blue Line” was born and remains today. The processional has become the well-known conclusion to the Convocation ceremony. For this year’s Blue Line, students, dressed in blue and white Winthrop T-shirts, followed President Dan Mahony and First Lady Laura Mahony to the front campus for a picnic — a meet-and-greet where students, faculty/staff and community unite in their love of Winthrop.

12