Fun Facts UC Berkeley

Traditions School Colors:

The campus colors of blue and gold were chosen in 1873 - blue for the California sky and ocean and for the Yale graduates who helped establish the university, gold for the "Golden State." The women of the classes suggested using both colors.

Mascot:

Beloved mascot Oski was named for a cheer that began, “Oski wow wow! Whiskey wee wee!”.Originally, real bear cubs served as mascots, but their growth posed obvious problems. Oski debuted at a 1941 freshman rally.

Golden Bears:

In 1895 a 12-man track team became the first Cal team to compete outside the state. They carried banners with the state’s emblem, a grizzly bear, in gold. The athletes won several meets, and the Golden Bear became the mythical guardian of the university.

An overview of the data that makes UC Berkeley unique: