School Spirit

Wildcat spirit is pretty abundant at Davidson, and with a whole quarter of the student body playing Division I varsity sports, it’s not hard to see why. Football and soccer draw large crowds every fall, but the biggest stand-filler is consistently varsity basketball. Despite its comparatively tiny student body, Davidson still takes on Division I juggernauts Duke and UNC. The Wildcats can claim more upsets than most of our powerful opponents would like to admit. The Cat Pack is a group of students who get together to make a lot of noise at every home game, and critical away games, decked-out (and even painted) in Davidson red and black. There’s also a great pep band, and one very dedicated individual who runs around in a Wildcat costume. In terms of day-to-day spirit, there’s plenty of that as well. Everyone at Davidson owns at least one article of clothing with the school name, and you’ll see many such displays around campus. Students here are heavily involved in school activities, investing themselves in their organizations and in volunteering. In general, Davidson kids are a happy bunch, taking pride in their campus and their education. That doesn’t mean, of course, that you won’t hear a whole lot of complaining about the workload, the food, or the dating scene. In fact, by junior year, a good number of students feel the school is simply too small and too removed from the “real world.” But that’s what going abroad is for, and if Davidson continually boats a 95% retention rate, it’s because most return with an enhanced appreciation for their school.