It's something of a relief to know that Penn State's youngest alumni will start to see the fruit of their gifts by the time most of this year's graduating class sees its own ceremonies in May.

The staff of the Office of Annual Giving has set its sights on April and May for the completion or near-completion of senior class gifts from those who earned or are earning degrees in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

We won't have to wait much longer to see old-fashioned-style outdoor lamps and historic street clocks adding a genteel touch to parts of our varied campus. And soon, students and visitors will be able to appreciate and benefit from the innovative ecology of a new Living Machine.

This last project was perhaps the most daring in recent memory, but also faced obstacles that made the process longer than usual. This is understandable, but perhaps future gift proposals should take such planning into consideration.

We also look forward to a speedy timeline on the Class of 2003's gift, new murals in the HUB-Robeson Center.

Yes, you can't rush art, but Penn State's history has no shortage of faces and events to provide some inspiration for whomever organizers choose to work on the project.