The class of 2029 enters their first semester by Passing through the Pillars.
Pass through the Pillars is SUNY Oneonta's biggest tradition where new students cross through the two remaining pillars of Old Main, Oneonta’s original building. Students follow in the footsteps of their predecessors as they walk between the pillars that have welcomed students for over 125 years. This tradition comes full circle when seniors walk the opposite way through the pillars, signifying their leaving the college community and entering the next phase of their lives.
The Pillars are the only remaining pieces of Old Main, which was the first major building on the SUNY Oneonta campus. After significant deterioration, Old Main was razed in 1977. This event has been celebrated since 2004.
