Just one of 223 years in UVM's long history, 2014 has had its share of memorable moments. This list shows the range of successes and fun we've had -- whether right here on our campus or on the world stage. Read on to relive some of the year's highlights.

1. UVM was selected by NASA to develop deep space technology

It’s no wonder that the STEM facility -- a project that will transform central campus -- is moving forward.

2. Cats represented at the Olympics

As the world tuned into the Olympics, Catamounts watched five of their own — both alumni and a current student — compete for the gold. Hockey players Patrick Sharp and Martin St. Louis took a gold home to Canada. To mark the occasion, Sharp tweeted the above photo with this caption: “Spent my career at the U of Vermont dreaming of playing in the NHL like Marty St. Louis. Now we share a gold medal.”

3. World luminaries graced our campus

The UVM community was treated to an impressive range of guest lecturers this year. Highlights included foremost food activist and bestselling author Michael Pollan, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner, Orange is the New Black author Piper Kerman and series actress Laverne Cox, Civil Rights icon Julian Bond, National Book Critics Circle award-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Do the Right Thing, Hunger Games and Foxcatcher producer Jon Kilik, and MacArthur Foundation “genius” award winner Alison Bechdel.

4. On April Fool’s Day, Catamount Ice was born

UVM announced an innovative new food product on April 1: a frozen treat made from Gutterson’s harvested rink shavings. Excitement for Catamount Ice went international, earning a spot The Guardian’s Best on the Web April Fool’s Day roundup.

5. The Black Student Union’s flashmob went viral

With more than 66,500 shares on Facebook, the UVM Black Student Union raised awareness around issues of visibility of people of color on our predominantly white campus.

6. PIKE fraternity’s fundraising efforts for Alzheimer’s research scored a visit from Seth Rogen

The brothers of Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE) fraternity raised more than $27,000 for Rogen’s charity, Hilarity for Charity, which raises money to combat Alzheimer’s disease. The brothers joined more than 4,000 other UVM students who contributed 117,500-plus hours of community service.

7. Alumni, parents and friends helped us #MoveUVM

Not only did UVM’s first online day of giving bring in double the planned donations, it also prompted a lot of great photos and memories shared on social media, creating quite a welcome for the Class of 2018 on move-in day. #MoveUVM followed a record-breaking year of fundraising for the university, with $55.2 million in new gifts, pledges, and bequests from more than 20,000 alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends in fiscal year 2014.

8. The moose on the loose

On May 6, Burlington was abuzz with moose sightings around the city. Tweets and Instagrams tracked the animal as it crossed through town — including a stop on campus. This Facebook photo was one of the most popular of the year on UVM’s page.

9. Burlington topped even more lists

Burlington, Vt., was ranked the #1 college town in Travel + Leisure Magazine and outside Magazine named us one of 16 “best towns ever.” BTV even has a lock down on the future: it’s been named one of 15 hottest cities for 2015.

10. More students from around the world are attending UVM than ever before — and more are applying early

UVM has more than 600 international students on campus this year, the most in university history. Another record-breaker this year: this fall also saw the most number of early action applicants in university history.

11. UVM faculty research and discoveries enlightened the world

The fascinating work of UVM faculty has captured the attention of the international media. A sample of what the world learned this year from our professors:

• New knowledge about the age of the Greenland ice sheet
• Whales’ surprising roles as the ocean’s “ecosystems engineers”
• How Harry Potter has shaped the political views of Millenials
• New methods of artificially engineering lungs 
• A blood type’s link to memory loss

12. Jacques Bailly, UVM professor, became a trending topic on Twitter

During the live broadcast of the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals on ESPN, Professor Jacques Bailly became a trending topic on Twitter. See what the Twitterverse was saying abut Bailly, bee pronouncer and a former champion.

13. The UVM Ball Pit was born

This fun way of making new friends debuted during the Week of Welcome. Look for its return -- and get ready to take a seat, make a friend -- in 2015.

14. Men’s hockey is breaking records

The men’s hockey team, currently 13-3-1, is off to the best start versus Division I opponents in program history -- an early success that will propel us into 2015. Go, Cats, go!