In an interview for the Living History Project, alumnus Noah Pizmony-Drezner (UR 2000) noted that when he was choosing a college:
... one of the things I did when I was visiting campus...when I wasn’t with a group, when I wasn’t on a tour, I was going to walk the campus and just say hello to people, and...I would gauge their reaction and whether they would say hello, would they just ignore me...? And Rochester was one of the most friendly campuses that I was at. And one of the campuses where...almost everyone said hello, and a few people engaged and asked why I was on campus... And I think that was emblematic, now that I look back over my Rochester experience of finding a place where there was a friendly attitude and a welcoming nature..." (you can find the whole interview here)
There's a good reason why Noah was greeted with a "hello" on our campus: The Rochester Hello has been a tradition observed throughout our history: "One of the most impressive features of campus life is the habit of greeting everyone with a "Hello." This is more than just a ceremony: it is the very heart of the Rochester spirir of friendliness and cooperation. A smile and a cheery "Hello" to all students, faculty member, and strangers encountered on the campus help to make Rochester the pleasant place that it is." (from the 1955 Freshman Handbook)
And so: Hello!
