Did you know? 10 facts about UIC
Welcome to the new academic year at UIC! Whether you are new or returning, there are several interesting things about UIC you may not know. If you’re on your way to class, lunch or a coffee break, take another look. You may discover why UIC has fueled the inspiration of so many.
Did you know these 10 facts about UIC?
No. 1: Lazy river — After opening in 2006, the Student Recreation Facility started offering a wide range of ways to exercise but also to relax. Many students know this is the place to get on the treadmill or take a yoga class. But the lazy river, tucked away as it is on the ground floor, sometimes gets overlooked. It’s open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. The center also features other spots for exercise and relaxing, including a running track, rock-climbing wall and even saunas, which will be perfect when winter chills you to the bone.
No. 2: UIC-shaped hedges — There are approximately 2,500 landscaping plants covering UIC’s campus. But in two locations, hedges are planted in the shape of the letters UIC. If you’ve passed by them, you might not have noticed, because the UIC shape is best seen from above. The two hedges are at the corner of West Harrison and South Halsted streets and at South Morgan Street and Roosevelt Road.
No. 3: Lots of trees — Covering nearly 34 acres of tree canopy, UIC is home to over 3,600 trees of approximately 100 species. In 2022, UIC was approved for Level II arboretum accreditation through the ArbNet program, which accredits arboretums and public gardens based on their planning, governance, species diversity, staff support and educational programming. This highlights the significance of UIC’s tree cultivation in the heart of a major city like Chicago.
No. 4: Gardens galore — UIC has gardens on both the east and west sides of campus, including the Heritage Garden just outside of the Latino Cultural Center and the Heritage Garden Native Prairie. Plants have benefits for our air and environment, but at UIC the gardens also have cultural, historical and even nutritional significance. On the west side of campus, there is the Atkins Medicinal Plant Garden. It sits next to the Retzky College of Pharmacy and showcases the medicinal plants that have played an active role in medicine. Behind the Applied Health Sciences Building, the UIC Teaching Nutrition Garden is a resource for nutrition students to create healthy recipes.
No. 5: The original Cubs stadium — UI Health sits on the former West Side Grounds, the ballpark that the Chicago Cubs called home in 1908. That same year, they won their first World Series. The Cubs played their last game at the West Side Grounds on Oct. 3, 1915. The park was later sold to the state of Illinois and demolished in 1920 to construct a research and educational hospital.
No. 6: UIC’s oldest college — The Chicago College of Pharmacy, predecessor of today’s Retzky College of Pharmacy, dates to 1859 and is the oldest college at UIC. The original college building did not survive the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, however. After acquiring the Chicago College of Pharmacy in 1896, the state of Illinois changed its name to the University of Illinois School of Pharmacy. The college became the Retzky College of Pharmacy in 2024. U.S. News and World Report ranked it the 15th best among colleges of pharmacy in the United States.
No. 7: UIC red and blue — Since 1982, the athletic teams at UIC have been known as the Flames. Why? It’s another reference to the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, a major turning point for the city. That’s why we have fire engine red for UIC. As for Navy Pier blue, before it opened at today’s location in 1965, the university was located on Navy Pier, from 1945-65.
No. 8: Peregrine falcons — The peregrine falcon is renowned as being the fastest bird in the world; it can move up to 240 miles per hour during its high-speed dive. But you may not know that University Hall is one of the nesting places for these falcons. The Chicago Peregrine Release placed the first chicks atop University Hall in 1986. Mouse and Loop have been nesting at UIC for over a decade and typically return every year. Although pairs may not stay together for their entire lifespan, they remain with their partner for several breeding seasons.
No. 9: Field theory — That UIC’s architecture is different than most college campuses is readily apparent. You may know the name of the architecture style — Brutalist — but do you know about the architect and his Field Theory? Walter Netsch designed some of the most distinctive buildings on campus, and you may notice that a few of them, like the Behavioral Sciences Building, go beyond the standard rectangle and box form. Netsch used a simple square and rotated it to design complex, organic shapes. This he called Field Theory, and you can see it in the Behavioral Sciences Building, the Architecture and Design Studios building and the Science and Engineering South building. If you look down on the Behavioral Sciences Building from the 28th floor of University Hall, you will see that its shape is formed around a series of rotated squares.
No. 10: UIC’s All-Star connection — The Curtis Granderson Stadium is named after the famous All-Star MLB player and UIC alum. He still honors his UIC roots and is actively involved in educational programs across the Chicagoland area. His Grand Giving fundraiser and campaign to address food insecurity has partnered with the UIC Pop-up Pantry, which gives food and household staples to UIC students in need.
And now you’re in the know!
