Page 28 - BUZZ Magazine - Issue #5 Summer 2023 | University of Rochester

Symbols and Traditions

NG

THROUGH

THE YEARS

I About one year after the University was
founded in 1850, Rochester adopted its motto
of Meliora—Latin for “ever better.” Today,
that motto, along with symbols like Rocky,
Z Rochester’s Yellowjacket mascot, serve as

tributes to the University’s past and emblems of
the spirit shared among alumni, students, faculty,
staff, and friends.

Since its creation in the mid-1920s, Rochester’s
B U Z
Yellowjacket mascot, which is based on the
common North American wasp, has been
portrayed in a range of styles, from club-wielding
to cute. The current version of Rocky debuted
in 2008, designed to reflect the strength,
character, and competitiveness of Rochester’s
Yellowjacket athletes.

LEARN MORE
rochester.edu/about/symbols.html

Bee Campus USA: This spring, the University
was awarded Bee Campus certification status
from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate
Conservation, the result of a two-year student
effort led by Zoë Bross ’23. The certification
comes with another for Bee City USA, from
the same organization. These certifications
recognize the University’s efforts to protect
native pollinators by increasing the abundance of
native plants, providing nest sites, and reducing
the use of pesticides.

28 | UNIVERSITY OF ROCHES TER BUZZ MA G AZINE