The U.G.V. was founded in 1946 to honor the first N.G.M.S.O. congress (Dutch Geological and Mining Student Organisation). Leiden and Delft already had an organization for geology and mining students. However, Utrecht did not. According to Mr. Van der Sijp, honorary member of the U.G.V., the U.G.V. at the time was a “loosely constructed fun club”. The contribution was fl 3,- per person per year.
During the years, the U.G.V. and her traditions kept growing. In 1951, the first Saint Barbarafest was organized. Saint Barbara is the patron of the dangerous professions, including mining and geology. Tradition states that the fest is preceded by a communal dinner. This ‘boerenkoolmaaltijd’ once turned into a large food fight, in which the tables served as barricades. Each year around the 4th of December (the official date of the Barbarafest), following the dinner, the Barbarafest is celebrated.
Another tradition that took form during the years is the boat trip for the freshmen during the introduction week. Traditionally, they had to live through a noviciate, which still brings a grin to the faces of some Utrechtenaren today. Also during this noviciate, the geologists weren’t afraid of throwing nutritious or rotting food at freshmen.
During the last General Assembly of the U.G.V. in Jan de Winter, it was decided that the U.G.V. would merge with Drift ’66 starting from the academic year of 2012/2013.
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