Intro to Sideways the Dog

In March 1945, the Georgia Tech community was introduced to a girl that stole everyone’s hearts: an eight month old white terrier with a black patch on one of her eyes named Sideways. After being thrown from a car on North Avenue, Georgia Tech adopted Sideways, and she soon became a campus icon. Known for walking at a slight angle as a result of her injury—giving her the name Sideways—she would commonly be found walking in and out of lectures, marching with the drill team, and even leading the football team onto the field. After living on campus for a few years, Sideways mysteriously passed away on August 14th, 1947. Her life was forever memorialized on campus with a slightly slanted grave underneath Tech Tower where all students, past and present, could go to pay their respects to the beloved campus celebrity. Today, it is tradition for students to leave pennies on her grave to get some luck before their final exams.

Pennies for Sideways, Dollars for Students

Leaving a penny on the grave of Sideways the dog, located just outside Tech Tower, has been a way for Georgia Tech students to get a bit of extra luck heading into finals season for decades now. Though campus is currently empty, the Ramblin’ Reck Club has been working on a solution that will allow our entire community to participate this spring from the comfort of their homes -- all while raising money for a good cause!

From Monday, April 13th until Wednesday, April 22nd, we are inviting everyone to send in donations -- as little as one penny or as much as you can give! -- to benefit the Emergency Student Relief Fund established in response to COVID-19. In exchange, we will leave a penny on Sideways’ grave in your honor (or the honor of someone you know) before finals start!

Our goal is to promote wide participation in a unique Georgia Tech tradition while raising money to support our fellow students during a difficult time. No matter your relation to the Georgia Tech community, we invite you to show your love for your fellow Yellow Jackets and to take part in the first virtual enactment of a 72-year-old tradition!

How to Participate

To participate, you can send your donation or proof of donation via one of the options below. Make sure to send us your name or the name of your chosen honoree along with your submission if you would like to be listed as a participant on this page!

  • Venmo: @Ramblin-Reck-Club
  • Cash App: $RamblinReckClub
  • Paypal: treasurer@reckclub.org
  • Directly to the Student Relief Fund: Follow the instructions detailed here and email a screenshot of your confirmation to help@reckclub.org

If you are donating on behalf of a student organization, write the organization’s name along with your contribution. The Ramblin’ Reck will make an appearance at a meeting to give members rides for the organization that raises the most money and the one that has the highest number of participants!

Finally, please participate however you can! If you cannot afford to give the traditional penny or more right now, fill out this form and we will place one on the grave for you and list you on the website anyway. We believe that traditions should be accessible for everyone!

*100% of all funds submitted to Ramblin’ Reck Club accounts will be compiled and sent directly to the Student Relief Fund.

More About Student Relief Fund

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Division of Student Life, the Alumni Association, and the Development Office have parterened to raise and distribute emergency funding to Georgia Tech students in need. With applications continuing to come in there is still a need for additional fundraising. We hope that we can bring together current students, alumni, faculty, and staff to help raise these critical funds to help our fellow students meet their needs.

For more information on the Student Relief Fund including how to apply yourself, visit this link.

Have any questions not covered here? Reach out to the organizers at help@reckclub.org.


Thank You Donors!

Abi Ivemeyer

Adam Lederer

Akshay Easwaran

Alec Liberman

Alexandra Rachman

Alicia Suarez

Alise Yakovenko

Allen Brower

Allison Riley

Allison White

Ally Rosenthal

Amanda Healy

Ana Jafarinia

Andy Begazo

Angela Wharton

Angelica Grace Nguyen

Ani Benge

Annabelle Thomas

Annie Robinson

Anonymous (in honor of Spring 2020 Graduates)

Ariane Richard

Arianna Mastali

Arushi Gupta

Ben Damus

Ben Rochford

Beth Stayduhar

Bob Wang

Brandon Dobson

Brendan Mindiak

Brendon Thaler

Brianna Prindle

Brittany Powell

CJ Young

Cade Lawson

Caleb Torres

Caroline Means

Carter Kubes

Cassie McIltrot

Charles Hanzel III

Chase Hughes

Chelsea Yangnouvong

Christopher Languell

Clara McKay

Cole Lewis

Daley Cass

Dean Athanassiades

Derek Prusener

Diana Michael

Elizabeth Cowan

Elvin Chirackal

Emily Farmer

Emily Hale

Emma Siegfried

Emmett Halloran

Erika Lupuloff

Ethan Kreager

Ethan Rosman

Evan Strat

George P. Burdell

Gigi P

Grace Mallon

Grace Truax

Hannah Schafer

Hedy Rosman

Helen Merkle

Henna Mian

Hill Belfi

Isabelle Liffiton

Ivey Brent

Ivey Brent and Marla Laminack

J M Stewart

Jack Crawford

Jackson Larisch

Jake Grant

James Root

James Splitter

Jamie Bui

Janie Johnson

Jasper and Florence Jackson

Jefferson Martin

Jen O'Brien

Jenna Cliatt

Jill Riley

Jim Elliot

Jo'De Cummings

Jordyn Seybolt

Joyrce K-S

Julianne Schneider

Juliet Orth

Karn Watcharasupat

Kassie Lee

Katie Coveny

Katie Earles

Katie Thrift

Kaushi Chandraratna

Keshav Ramanathan

Kirby Criswell

Landon Ballard

Lauren Lee

Lejla Dulic

Lily Arnold

Madison Smith

Maite Marin-Mera

Margaret Dickey

Mari Nielsen

Marie Thompson

Marissa Klee

Marlene Garcia

Matt DeJonge

Matt O'Brien

Matt O'Brien

Matthew Askari

Maxin Geller

McKade Stewart

Megan Kaiser

Megha Desai

Michael Rosman

Mikayla Morgenroth

Narayan Shirolkar

Nathan Peck

Neha Embar

Nicholas Jozwiak

Nicholas Revelos

Nick Isaf

Petra and Rolf Schmitz

Rachel Hurst

Rachel Mittal

Richard Chahine

Rob Gies

Robert Cottingham

Rose McKenna

Ross Kreager

Samuel Stewart

Samuel Walters

Sara Farnoli

Savanna Panackal

Sean Walsh

Shelby Conway

Shivanee Persaud

Sofia Eidizadeh

Sunny Thomson

Sydney Weisenburger

Tanner Lee

Taylor Gray

The Ivemeyer Family

Tom Marchese

Towers 2 Residents

Trinity Wright

Varsha Padmanabhan

Zoe Sieling