It’s Wildcat Trivia Time!

Thanks for playing Wildcat Trivia! If you haven’t seen the questions (featured in the Spring issue of Chico Statements), take a moment to review the sheet below:

Ready to see the answers?

1. Meriam Library Special Collections has a rare copy of a beloved book by Lewis Carroll. Who is the guest illustrator?

Answer: Salvador Dalí.    

Points: 10

Bonus point: What print number is in Chico State’s possession?

Answer: 1608

Originally published in 1865, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” is a timeless classic that continues to resonate with, delight, and inspire audiences more than 150 years later. In the late 1960s, Random House commissioned iconic surrealist, Salvador Dalí, to illustrate Lewis Carrol’s fantastic tale. Dalí created twelve interpretive heliogravures that allow readers to re-see the story through the eyes of one of history’s celebrated visionaries. Visit Meriam Library Special Collections and University Archives to request a viewing of this rare cross-generational and continental collaboration.

2. What year did the Chico State women’s basketball team play its first intercollegiate competition?

Answer: 1902

Points: 7

According to the “Normal Record,” the historic predecessor to this publication, the Normal School’s women’s basketball team took on the University of Nevada—and won 16-14. For a broader look at women’s sports at Chico State, read about the golden anniversary of Title IX.                

3. How many bridges span the creek on campus?

Answer: 9

Points: 5

As one of the only California State Universities with a creek, we’re fortunate to have a bevy of beautiful bridges to break up the walk between trips across campus.

4. Who are the three figures located in front of Colusa Hall?

Answer: The figures are based on Antoine Chekov’s play, The Three Sisters. 

Points: 3

Sculpted by artist, Deborah Masters, and cast in concrete, Three Sisters stand 9 feet, and 6 inches tall. Masters’ women capture the personality traits of the play’s three main characters: strength, weakness, and ambiguity. The artist said of the sculptures, “The women’s faces look lost in thought, sad, portraying a feeling of weakness. But from behind, their figures have very broad backs depicting hard work and resilience. The side, however, illustrates the query about life. When a passer-by looks at the side, they will not get any direction as to what to expect from the front or back. It will be a surprise to see the emotion captured in clay.” Proposed and fabricated while Masters was a visiting artist at Chico State in 1990–91, the sculptures have become a landmark for the Chico State campus.

5. What year did outgoing president Gayle Hutchinson begin her tenure?

Answer: 2016

Points: 2

For reflections on the accomplishments and challenges faced by President Hutchinson, read Path to Prominence by Ashley Gebb, executive director for University Communications. 

6. What new college building broke ground in early 2023?

Answer: College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

Points: 1

On a sunny February afternoon, Chico State broke ground on the new building for the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences—the first net-zero building on campus and the third in the entire CSU system.

The 94,000-square-foot building will be home to nine academic departments, 22 classrooms, five laboratories for conducting research, and one large tiered lecture hall, as well as faculty offices, conference space, and breakout rooms to foster collaboration. Click here for renderings and additional information. 

Are you a smarty ’Cat with a great trivia question? Drop us a line for a chance to be featured in fall’s Wildcat Trivia: classnotes@csuchico.edu