page_title: Florida International University
section_title: Traditions
hierarchical_section_title: Florida International University / Student Life / Traditions
context_page_description: Florida International University is a public research university in University Park, Miami, Florida. It is a member of the State University System of Florida. FIU is the first and only school in South Florida to achieve the "Emerging Preeminence" designation by the Florida Legislature.
  Founded in 1965, it has quickly grown to becoming the largest university in the Greater Miami region. It is the largest university in South Florida, the second-largest in Florida, and the fourth-largest in the United States by enrollment.
  The university is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity." FIU has 11 separate colleges and more than 40 centers, facilities, labs, and institutes that offer more than 190 programs of study, including professional school programs. It has an annual budget of over $1.5 billion and an annual economic impact of over $3.5 billion. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
  FIU's intercollegiate sports teams, the FIU Panthers, compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Conference USA.
context_section_description: FIU has many traditions from student spirit groups, alumni association events and student spirit events. Panther Rage, one of FIU's largest student spirit groups are seen at all the athletics events.
  FIU also holds many Golden Panther spirit events throughout the year. These include: Panther Camp held in the Summer prior to the Fall term for incoming freshmen, where students spend a weekend in a retreat center learning all the traditional Golden Panther cheers, chants, traditions meeting other incoming students. Started in 2006, Panther Camp has grown quickly in popularity from only 25 participants in 2006 to over 120 participants in 2007. In 2008, Panther Camp expanded to two camps with a combined total of 240 freshman participants. Panther Camp is expected to grow in size for Summer 2010, as the waiting list has continued to double from year to year. Freshmen who participate are more likely to get involved in Student Life than other students.
  Week of Welcome, usually held the first or second week of the Fall semester holds many spirit events, such as Trail of the Torch. Trail of the Torch is another university tradition that has continued to grow annually, where a pep rally is held in the Housing Quad with music, food, giveaways and dancing. After the pep rally, the torch of knowledge is lit and blue and gold candles are distributed to the crowd for the procession around the campus, trailing the torch from the Housing Quad to the torch in front of the Primera Casa building. Rage Week and Homecoming Week are other major back-to-back spirit weeks held in the Fall semester. They include the Homecoming Parade, Greek Row parties, Homecoming football game, Blue/Gold Party, pep rallies and other Panther Rage events.
caption: Green Library and Owa Ehan.
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