“WHERE THE SLIPPERY ROCK CREEK WANDERS
WITH ITS SPARKLING FALLS
THERE IN STATELY GRACE AND BEAUTY
STANDS OLD S.R. HALLS.”
The first lines of the SRU alma mater tells you exactly what Slippery Rock is all about: a school that is more than 125 years old, yet somehow still growing and improving with every passing year.
Starting college is not easy. It is a completely new experience, in a new place, with a bunch of people you have never met. For a lot of freshmen, college will be their first real time away from home. A lot of freshmen do not know what they want to do with their lives and some do not even know if they want to be in college at all.
If you are feeling nervous or unsure about starting college at all, now is not the time to panic, almost everybody feels like that. Some members of The Rocket staff did not even know if they should be in college when they started. The good news is that no matter what you are feeling about starting college, you picked a really good school to come to.
“SING HER PRAISES LOUD RESOUNDING
SPEED THEM ON THEIR WAY
WE’LL BE TRUE TO THEE, OH, S.R.
TRUE FOR AYE AND AYE.”
For one reason or another, Slippery Rock is special. People love SRU and as the chorus of the alma mater states, they will tell you loud and resounding. Something is different here from other small town colleges, after a while SRU just ends up feeling like home. Almost everyone here will tell you that Slippery Rock is a special place, and they will all have a different reason. Some might have a specific story to tell about how they love SRU, they might have a favorite professor that helped them learn what they want to do in life or maybe they would not even be able to put it into words.
SRU is an odd little school. Small and tucked into the hills of Western Pa. and yet somehow we always seem to rank right up there with the best schools in the country. Routinely ranked as one of the safest schools in America, Slippery Rock is also often rated as one of the best-valued schools. The quality of education and the dedication of the faculty is what really makes SRU stand out academically. Every single professor here makes an investment in their students and truly cares about their success and growth. SRU does not only succeed academically, just this year we had a football player break the all-time NCAA career sacks record, we have students who get invited to national conferences and present research in all areas.
“ALL THY HALLS THE DAY IN DYING
CROWN WITH GOLDEN LIGHT
AND THE MORN IN WAKING SPLENDOR
GREETS THEE IN THY MIGHT”
The second verse of the alma mater speaks to just the beauty of SRU. It is undeniable that Slippery Rock’s campus is just stunningly gorgeous. The buildings look distinguished with elements of modern design, the landscape is immaculate and the views are breath-taking. The ballroom in the Smith Student Center, the area up by the water tower and the football field all offer incredible views of campus that really hammer home how beautiful this school is.
At the end of the day, everyone has something they love about Slippery Rock, it is what keeps attracting more and more students to come here each year, it is what keeps alumni coming back years after they graduate and it is what, hopefully, will make you fall in love with Slippery Rock just like so many have before you.
“LONG MAY YOU, OUR ALMA MATER
SHED YOUR LIGHT ABROAD
AS YOUR LOYAL SONS AND DAUGHTERS
LIVE FOR YOU AND GOD.”
The final verse of the alma mater tells exactly what SRU is. This is a school that is not going anywhere for a very long time. By coming here, you are joining a community, a family of all those that have come before you and all of those who will come after. Slippery Rock is a special, special school and The Rocket staff hopes you can find what makes it special to you as soon as possible.
