Hundreds of new Bengal alumni celebrate graduation with traditional “March through the Arch”

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — Today, hundreds of graduates at Idaho State University marked their transition to alumni with the traditional "March through the Arch". At noon, graduates lined the walk leading to the Swanson Arch, many of them in cap and gown, as they took the first step into the world outside the campus.

The "March through the Arch" has been a decades-old tradition for ISU students. The Swanson Arch originally served as the entrance to Swanson Hall, which was built in 1902. Although Swanson Hall was condemned and demolished in 1973, the arch remained a significant campus landmark.

The University explains that the tradition "symbolizes entering the campus as new students and exiting as Bengal alumni." This ritual reinforces the educational journey at Idaho State.

According to the ISU event page, new students participate in a "spirited ceremony" each fall, passing through the Swanson Arch onto campus. "In May and December, graduates look to the future by passing back through the arch away from campus."