By Ariana Caballero
Every Cardinal is familiar with the UIW clock tower. From its connection to the Sisters of Charity to tales of being cursed if you walk underneath it, this prominent landmark serves as a symbol of the university’s heritage, faith and the legacy of the sisters who founded the school.
The Jordan Carillon Plaza, more commonly known as the clock tower, sits at the heart of the Broadway campus, where it has stood as a landmark since the late 1990s.
Donated by 1967 graduate Marjorie Ann Jordan, the clock tower serves as a reminder of how the UIW community can honor the university and help secure its legacy for years to come. Sister Walter Maher, vice president for Mission and Ministry at the University of the Incarnate Word, said, “She really wanted to give a gift back to us and so this is the gift that she gave back to the university.”
Built to replicate the historic spire of the Chapel of the Incarnate Word, the clock tower visually connects the modern plaza to the historic spiritual center of the university. At the top of every hour, its familiar sound can be heard across campus, with the “Hymn to the Incarnate Word” playing at various times throughout the day.
The clock tower’s stained-glass windows, hidden inside the tower, tell the story of the founding sisters of UIW and their early work in San Antonio.
Although rooted in a rich history, the clock tower carries a different kind of significance for current undergraduate students.
Beyond honoring the university’s past, the tower is also tied to one of UIW’s most famous superstitions: Walk under the clock tower, and you won’t graduate on time.
Some students walk past it but avoid going underneath it.
Senior Giavana Herrera said, “I actually walked underneath the clock tower on one of my tours with my mom, but I had no idea about the superstition until a couple months later. All of my friends were like, ‘You walked under it? You’re never gonna graduate now!’ And I was freaking out. I was like, ‘I didn’t know!’ and so I don’t think I’ve walked under it since then.”
While some students avoid walking under the clock tower, faculty and staff remind Cardinals that academic success is not determined by luck. It is built on dedication, hard work and determination.
Dr. Trey Guinn, assistant dean of SMD and a professor at the University of the Incarnate Word, said, “I love the clock tower, and believe it or not I actually really like the superstition because it gives story, it gives lore, it gives students something to talk about, something to bond over, but also the great thing is, it’s just a superstition. I’ve known plenty of students to walk under the clock tower and still graduate.”
Whether it is a superstition to dodge or a piece of history to admire, the UIW clock tower will continue to stand tall for future generations of Cardinals.
