Outside of the newly renovated Willard Plaza, the Old Main Bell Tower chimes the hour, hurrying students along to class.

In the HUB-Robeson Center, two students watch a colorful collection of fish chase each other around the tank, and outside Rec Hall, students pause to take pictures at the Lion Shrine.

All of these objects represent class legacies that passed through Penn State, and this year, the Class of 2006 announced its contribution to the future of Penn State -- the East Campus Promenade Tulip Tree Plantings and Endowment.

Senior Class Gift Overall Erika Swierczynski said the class gift is an important tradition at Penn State that gives back to the university.

"Since 1861, almost every senior class has given a gift to the university," Swierczynski said. "We started working on this early last spring and the Class of 2006 should be very proud."

Swierczynski added that a record number of about 3,000 seniors voted this year, with the split between first and second place being extremely close.

The promenade will connect the new University Creamery with the Business, Forest Resources and Food Science buildings. The promenade, which committee members compared to the mall on west campus, will be lined with 31 tulip trees, tall broad-leafed trees that bloom with yellow flowers.

Penn State President Graham Spanier attended the gift announcement yesterday morning and congratulated the senior class on its record number of voters. "This gift is part of a longstanding tradition," Spanier said. "It's a very nice project to be the heart of the new visual development project we're working on."

Spanier said the gift would help connect the new additions that are in Penn State's near future with the campus.

Allison Saras (senior-political science) said she thinks the gift will be great for returning alumni because of its location.

"It'll be a nice place for alumni to come back to when they visit," she said. "It's by the new Creamery location and not far from Beaver Stadium."

Senior Class Gift Committee member Bill Koellhoffer said he hoped the endowment portion of the gift, which will be created after the December 2006 graduation, will protect the tulip trees that will be planted this spring.

The gift was selected after being narrowed down from about 50 nominations from students and faculty. The committee then chose the top three choices, and last week seniors cast votes for their favorites.

Last week's ballot also featured a commemorative garden for Martin Luther King, Jr. and a campus entrance sign at Atherton Street and Park Avenue.

Swierczynski said she encourages seniors to donate to the class gift because the project will be modified to fit how much money is raised. So far, seniors have pledged about $30,000.