One way we like to celebrate Creighton's rich (and occasionally weird) history is by culling our archives for interesting stories and nostalgia-inducing photos. Some of the stories are a little goofy, to say the least. Some highlight the texture of daily Creighton life over the years through our amazing students, alumni, faculty and staff. Others help explain the University's origin story and honor the vision and generosity of our founding family.
We'll continue to update our list of archive stories on the page throughout the Forward Blue campaign. Ideally, over time, the stories will form a more complete tapestry of a place and community unlike any other, and right at one of the most transformative moments in Creighton's history.
Quick note: None of this would be possible without the help and expertise of Creighton's University Archives.
Forward Blue
Forward Blue is the largest and most comprehensive fundraising campaign in Creighton’s history. The campaign is a massive, concentrated effort over an extended period of time to celebrate Creighton’s mission, while raising funds to ensure that mission endures.
How Edward Creighton united a nation
And brought America online.
And became the hero of a Hollywood Western.
And a comic book.
World record easier bread than done
That time high winds foiled Creighton’s attempt to make the world’s longest sandwich.
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The smells of Creighton
Father Larry Gillick, SJ, is blind. But every day, he says, he "sees" Creighton. To show us what Creighton looks like to him, he gave us a campus tour like no other — a tour of touch and sound but mostly of smell.
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More than 30 Creighton anniversaries in 2022
Read on to learn a whole lot of Creighton history — from the birth of the Creightonian to the first Homecoming to the glorious day 30 years ago when the Internet came to campus.
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The Poopas of Gallagher Hall
In the fall semester of 1969, a group of women (mostly nursing and education majors) moved into Gallagher Hall, sparking a friendship that's still going strong more than half a century since freshman year. They call themselves the Poopas.
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The voice returns! The walk signal to cross 24th Street is now on once again.
The voice of 24th street has reclaimed her rightful spot, thanks, in part, to the strong response from Creighton alumni.
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Gallagher, Beal’s & Billy: 14 Creighton anniversaries we’ll observe in 2021
So many anniversaries this year, from the opening of Gallagher Hall to the closing of Beal's Grill to the birth of Billy Bluejay.
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A collection of vintage Creighton postcards shows 100-plus years of campus history
We’d like to extend a hearty “Wish you were here!” with a collection of vintage postcards celebrating 100-plus years of Creighton history!
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The evolution of the Billy Bluejay mascot costume
Here is the definitive story of Billy Bluejay — the logo, the costume, the spirit of Creighton.
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Alumni talk about the game-changing experience of playing Billy Bluejay
We caught up with a few alumni to talk about how being Billy Bluejay colored their Creighton experience and even, in at least one case, defined the rest of their lives.
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Billy Bluejay crashes an extremely Creighton wedding
A Creighton couple ties the knot, and their mothers relive a 33-year-old memory. For both occasions, Billy Bluejay was there.
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Blue Couture — 100 years of Creighton fashion
We sifted through several decades of yearbooks and archive materials to see how our sense of style has evolved over Creighton’s history.
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Creighton's College World Series moment turns 30
To celebrate the 30-year anniversary of Creighton's first and so far only CWS appearance, we caught up with several players to talk about the magical season.
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More archive content
See even more stories and photos of Creighton history and campus life.
The Creighton mentor who changed your life
We've written hundreds of stories about Creighton alumni and current students. When we ask them what they love most about Creighton, one of the first things so many mention is a specific person.
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The best of the best
A Creighton alumnus talks about the professor who saw his potential and changed his life.
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A Bible like no other
The seven-volume set of the Heritage Edition of the Saint John’s Bible has found a permanent home at Creighton. The Bible incorporates the Old-World craftsmanship of the ancient book along with modern day themes.
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Community of prayer, community of hope
We spoke with alumni and staff who were at Creighton on Sept. 11, 2001. They recalled a campus coming together in the face of crisis — with faith, hope and prayer.
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Photos at Creighton on Sept. 11, 2001
A collection of images from the Creighton University Archives.
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The first American Indian dentist in the nation
Creighton alumnus George Blue Spruce Jr., DDS’56, is the first American Indian dentist in the nation. Now, at the age of 90, he says his work isn't finished.
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He co-piloted a pizza empire. But he was just getting started.
Dick Jeffries never lost his good humor — not in the face of professional failures nor personal tragedies. He knew not to take anything too seriously. And in spite of that — perhaps more likely because of that — Dick Jeffries lived a seriously successful life.
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Creighton couple married after meeting again — 40 years later — at Reunion Weekend
They fell not for the people they were but for who they became in the years since. And who they became, they say, had a lot to do with attending Creighton.
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75 years at Creighton
With 63 years as a Creighton professor and 12 years before that as a high school, undergrad or dental student, Bill Carlisle, DDS’58, has been at the University for more than half its history. This month, he retired.
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Happy Father's Day, Creighton dads
Seven stories of Creighton legacy families and a celebration of Creighton fathers everywhere.
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The Creighton alum who saved Batman
Alumnus William Dozier, Law’31, PhB’32, thought he wanted to be a Jesuit. Instead, he saved Batman and changed American pop culture forever.
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That time Adam West came to Creighton dressed as Batman
In 1989, the TV star came to Creighton to teach a class on “Batman 101.”
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Same name, different Creighton
24 Creightons that have nothing to do with OUR Creighton.
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A new history of Omaha (and Creighton) women
Eileen Wirth’s new history of notable Omaha women frequently reads as a history of notable Creighton women, as the stories of the city and the University are inextricably connected.
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Memories — the good, the bad, the Gallagher
On the eve of Gallagher's demise, alumni offered accounts of such formative events as the fire of 1999, the early-bird dumpster wakeup call and that time the pillow-wielding, couch-forted men of G5 seceded from the building.
That time Creighton dentists gave a leopard a root canal in downtown Omaha
Fun fact: Creighton's dental school has a bit of a reputation for forming pioneers in the field of wild-animal dentistry.
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Creighton — how the campus found Christmas
Read about Creighton's history with the holiday — including some fun details about a wayward tree and a Grinch redeemed.
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Creighton at the Olympics
Creighton University has seen many, many great athletes over the years, but — according to our records — just eight Bluejays have competed in the Olympic Games.
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The first ‘Creighton’ to attend Creighton University
The first Creighton student with the last name of Creighton was the first of 20 total in the University's history with either the given name or surname of Creighton.
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The Creighton giant who helped invent the slam dunk
The story of Creighton University's lithe giant, whose team played the muddiest game of basketball in Olympic history.
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The Olympian who worked at Kiewit Fitness Center
Five nights a week for several years in the 1980s, the man who worked the front desk of the Kiewit Fitness Center was a former Olympian.
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Creighton's primetime TV-movie moment turns 25
That time 17 million people saw Creighton Hall because of a Shannen Doherty movie.
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New videos of Creighton … from the 1930s
A Creighton legacy family shared old campus footage with us dating back to the 1930s. We've shared clips of Creighton homecoming parades, football games and graduation ceremonies.
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The rise and fall and 'rise' of Creighton football
On a dreary day in December 1891, a hastily assembled team of Creighton students played the first organized game of football in Omaha’s history.
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Two Creighton alums have never missed a Final Four
In the 41 years since they were Creighton students, Doug Knust, BSBA'82, and Chris Korth, BSBA’82, haven’t missed a single Final Four.
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The fall of Creighton football
Creighton football's program came to its end abruptly, then very gradually.
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That time Creighton's fake football team made national news and Fr. Morrison ran a touchdown on TV
This team was undefeated. This team had some of the best players in the country. This team wasn’t real.
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The graduates: a history of Creighton commencement
We compiled a list of stats, facts and amusing anecdotes — a history of Creighton told through commencement.
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Photos: Creighton move-in through the years
Welcome to Creighton! Here are dozens of photos of Creighton students moving in to the residence halls, from the 1950s to 2020.
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Beloved Creighton professors' legacy continues through gift
Shashi and Subhash Bhatia say they established the Bhatia Family Endowed Chair in the Department of Psychiatry to pay back a kindness. And to pay it forward.
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8 Creighton love stories
Here are a few alumni who met that very special someone while at Creighton — along the Mall, in front of the fountain, even … at Gallagher.
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Valentine's Jay — Love notes from 30 years of Creightonian classifieds
For decades, The Creightonian ran love notes in its classifieds leading up to Valentine’s Day. Many messages were heartwarming. Some were weird. A few should not be repeated.
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Still swingin'
A golf tournament for Creighton alumni and friends started as a small operation. But nearly 50 years later, the Carroll Open is still going, stronger than ever.
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