Fun Fact Fiesta Logo

Discover the Top 9 Fun Facts About Paris: Uncover the City's Unique Secrets and Unforgettable Stories

illustration of ucr
Dive into a world of intrigue and amusement as you explore these lesser-known, yet thoroughly entertaining, tidbits about the University of California, Riverside (UCR).

1. Botanical Wonderland

Prepare thyselves all ye plant aficionados, for a botanical wonderland worthy of Eden itself resides in humble UC Riverside: Housing over 3,500 plant species from the world over on a majestic 40-acre property, UC Riverside's Botanic Gardens serve as an academic oasis for subjects such as anthropology, biology, and taxonomy as well as a safe haven for 195 species of birds and various mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. UCR's Epic Music Festivals

Who needs Coachella when you've got UCR? Their festival game is so strong, they've even had crowds exclaim, "Wiz of Oz... that's ludicrous!": The University of California, Riverside is famous for hosting epic music festivals like Spring Splash and Block Party, featuring stellar lineups including T-Pain, Wiz Khalifa, Ludacris, Dillon Francis, and Panic! At the Disco, attracting all sorts of music aficionados from across the state.
Source => concertarchives.org

3. Annual Insect Fair Extravaganza

Who needs a beehive hairdo when you can sport a bug bonanza on your noggin? UC Riverside is all in, with their annual Insect Fair: Founded in 2015 by the UCR Entomology Graduate Student Association and the Riverside Metropolitan Museum, the Riverside Insect Fair has since grown to be the second largest event of its kind in the Inland Empire, attracting over 12,000 visitors in 2019. This creepy-crawly congregation aims to educate the local community about insects, offer hands-on activities such as designing your own bug collection, and even make taste buds tingle with cooking demonstrations featuring delectable insect dishes.
Source => cnas.ucr.edu

4. R'Day: Highlander Spirit Weekly

Why did the Highlander cross the road? To get to R'Day, of course: At UC Riverside, every Wednesday is R'Day, where students don their blue and gold apparel, while participating in activities and concerts near the Bell Tower, showcasing their school spirit and learning about over 500 clubs on campus. Food-truckin'-tastic!
Source => studentlife.ucr.edu

Sci-Fi Literary Utopia

5. Sci-Fi Literary Utopia

If Hogwarts traded its magic for sci-fi and called Ray Bradbury its professor: UCR possesses the esteemed Eaton Collection of Science Fiction & Fantasy, housing rare literary treasures and artifacts from renowned authors like Ray Bradbury, Frank Herbert, and William Hope Hodgson, transforming it into a utopia for scholars and enthusiasts alike.
Source => library.ucr.edu

6. Aloe-tastic Botanic Gardens

If you're tired of the tedium of watching roses by any other name, say "aloe" to UCR's Botanic Gardens: a 40-acre treasure trove home to over 3,500 plant species, where themed collections showcase distinct geographical regions, including a Lilac Lane that blooms with true lilacs and a South African desert display with striking aloes and wildflowers in season.
Source => gardens.ucr.edu

7. International Rock and Enroll

UCR: the real-life School of Rock, where students truly Rock and enroll from all around the globe: Boasting a diverse international student population, UCR houses over 2,000 brilliant minds hailing from countries like China, India, Taiwan, Iran, and more, accounting for 7.7% of its total student body, and even has an annual growth rate of 7.1% for international enrollment!
Source => collegefactual.com

8. Solving Mysteries with Bugs

Who needs Bones and CSI when you can play Sherlock Holmes with real bugs? Elementary, my dear maggots: UC Riverside offers a forensic entomology course where students solve mysteries by analyzing insect clues found on non-living animals. Developed by Professor Alec Gerry, this popular course teaches future sleuths how to estimate time of death, reveal body transportation, and even detect drugs, all through the power of creepy-crawlies!
Source => entomology.ucr.edu

9. Lemonade-Level Research Center

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade... or better yet, establish a research center: In 1907, UCR's Citrus Research Center and Agricultural Experiment Station (CRC-AES) was founded to tackle the plaques of plant diseases, irrigation woes, and pesky insects plaguing citrus growers in Riverside, California. Today, it has branched out into a diverse range of agricultural production systems, including tackling ecological and environmental challenges.
Source => cnas.ucr.edu

Related Fun Facts