Illinois State Magazine – Page 72

Rites of Spring: The story behind ISU’s unbelievable rock festival

Ask graduates who attended Illinois State during the mid-1970s to share one indelible collegiate memory and the response will be nearly unanimous: Rites of Spring. For those who were on campus from 1972 to 1977, Rites of Spring (Rites) stands as the most unique and spectacular social event in the University’s history. Referred to by

Will’s power: Trailblazing Redbird coach lifted the game of basketball

Will presents Doug with award on the court

Will Robinson coached the Redbirds for five winning seasons from 1970 to 1975, producing an astonishing array of talent that included the school’s only Consensus All-American, Doug Collins ’73.

Behind the beak: Memoirs of the first Reggie Redbird

The year 1981 was a big one for Illinois State University’s Redbird mascot. The student who launched Reggie was Bob Goldstein ’83, at the time a junior accounting major with a minor in economics.