Students perform 8-clap to honor, support John Wooden
Students perform the eight-clap in Bruin Plaza is support of John Wooden who was hospitalized on Wednesday for dehydration
By Kylie Reynolds
June 4, 2010 11:25 a.m.
Over 200 students surrounded the legendary Bruin Bear today and did an honorary 8-clap for another UCLA legend, John Wooden.
At noon, students dressed in blue and gold did two 8-claps and chanted the name of the former basketball coach, who was hospitalized Thursday at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
The rally was organized through Facebook by three students Thursday night after they heard the news of Wooden’s hospitalization.
A different group of students planned a “nation-wide 8-clap,” according to Facebook, for tonight at 8 outside Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
“We had seen the (Facebook) group for the nation-wide 8-clap, and knowing it is finals week and not everybody can go down to the Medical Plaza, we wanted to do it during the day for those people who can’t make it at night,” said Deena Dulgerian, a second-year history student who was involved in planning the noon 8-clap.
The noon event proved the lasting importance of Wooden to UCLA students, said Kristen Harkey, a second-year world arts and cultures student who also helped plan the noon 8-clap.
“We wanted to show how inspired we are by him. He’s a UCLA legacy,” said Alfonso Alfaro, a second-year global studies student who attended the rally.
