Lighting of the Torch marks beginning of fall semester

Trail of the Torch is one of the most cherished Panther traditions. More than 1,500 students gathered Aug. 26 for the seventh annual event in the Housing Quad at MMC to celebrate the start of the academic year.

Hosted by the Student Alumni Association, the welcome-back party included performances by Alpha Phi Alpha; This iz Dade and DWELLZ; THURO; 5MOK3; the Dazzlers; and the new FIU Marching Band.

Dance Marathon team members showed the audience the 2011 line dance. And student-athletes from FIU baseball, basketball and football invited everyone to come see them play this season.

“It’s great to see everyone out here,” said Christin “Cici” Battle, president of the Student Government Association for Biscayne Bay Campus. “Look at all this school pride going on. We need this here at our university. We need this kind of spirit in order for us to bleed blue and gold.”

The highlight of Trail of the Torch is the procession of the Torch of Knowledge to the steps of Primera Casa. Baseball infielder Garrett Wittels, who is on a record-breaking 56-game hitting streak, was this year’s torchbearer.

— Sissi Aguila ’99, MA’08