This was another record-breaking year for UA. And with the return to regular campus operations and in-person events, there was a lot going on. Here’s a look at the most popular stories from the UA News Center in 2021.
Top Stories of 2021
No. 10: Welcome Back to Campus
As students returned for the fall semester, they turned to the UA News Center to catch up on what was new and changed, from dining and food options to Crimson Ride route names and more.
No. 9: UA Student Chosen as a Rhodes Scholar
In November, Nicholas Hayes, a senior who came to UA from Memphis, Tennessee, was selected as one of 32 Americans to receive a Rhodes Scholarship. Hayes is the 16th Rhodes Scholar in UA’s history and is part of a tradition of UA students winning prestigious national awards.
No. 8: 2nd Avenue Overpass Opens
The long-awaited opening of the 2nd Avenue Overpass came just in time for the start of the fall semester. The bridge has improved traffic flow by allowing motorists, pedestrians and bikers to safely bypass the train tracks.
No. 7: Hey, Where Did These Nice Chairs Come From?
That was the question on the mind of anyone walking the Quad in late 2020 and early 2021. UA senior leadership collaborated with the campus design and planning department to place Adirondack chairs across campus to give students spaces to relax outdoors. Each chair is custom-made by UA staff from raw materials and includes the script “A” burned in the back.
No. 6: Own a Piece of Historic Tutwiler Hall
The Division of Student Life created a unique and popular fundraiser for student housing scholarships by selling room number signs and other memorabilia from the current Tutwiler Hall, which is scheduled to be demolished in July 2022. Since 1960, Tutwiler Hall has been a home away from home to more than 40,000 UA students.
No. 5: Free App Week
Applying to UA with no application fees? Yes, please! Everyone from prospective undergraduate students to current students and staff members eyeing graduate school looked to take advantage of the annual Free App Week.
No. 4: A Historic Swarm
In 2021, one of the largest broods of cicadas emerged in the Eastern U.S. UA’s own Dr. John Abbott, an entomologist and director of research and collections for University of Alabama Museums, shared his expertise on this fascinating phenomenon that happens every 17 years.
No. 3: University Town Center Offers Summer Parking, More Dining to Come
The Strip has changed a lot over the past year. While some establishments have closed or moved, the area welcomed new restaurants in the summer and fall, including Rita’s Italian Ice & Custard/PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans, Mediterranean Sandwich Co. and Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza.
No. 2: Homecoming 2021
UA students, alumni and Tuscaloosa community members alike were excited for the return of homecoming festivities and traditions, including the parade, which featured UA alum health care workers as honorary grand marshals.
No. 1: Crimson Tide Rolls All the Way to the Olympics
This summer, four current student-athletes and 17 alumni athletes representing a total of 13 countries competed in the much-anticipated Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Among the many highlights, senior Rhyan White brought home a silver medal in the 100-meter medley relay. UA student-athletes also competed in the 2020 Paralympics.