Starting Monday, Penn State seniors will have the chance to vote for one of three proposals to become their senior class gift.
The proposals include a “We Are” sculpture, a Rec Hall beautification project and a monetary donation to the Penn State Hershey Center for the Protection of Children, Kathy Andrusisin (senior-journalism), communications chair for the Senior Class Gift committee said.
“The class gift program has stood as a way for seniors to give back to their alma mater,” Geoff Hallett, assistant director of student programs in the Office of Annual Giving, wrote in an email. “
He said some past classes have selected physical gifts like the Lion Shrine or the Michael P. Murphy Veterans Plaza, and others have provided financial support to the library or “unrestricted funds to be used where the need is greatest.”
“The goal is to identify something that the class can stand behind as a way to leave their mark and start their legacy in Penn State’s history,” Hallett wrote .
The “We Are” sculpture would be made up of 3D letters with the Alma Mater inscribed on them, said Andrusisin. The statue would be similar to the “LOVE” statue in Philadelphia. The location of the statue is still to be determined, said Andrusisin.
The Rec Hall beautification project would aim to make the three “windows” in the front of Rec Hall that are currently opaque appear to have light shining through them. It would give the appearance that the lights are always on in Rec Hall, Andrusisin said.
“It would make Rec Hall a beacon in the distance as you come down Curtain Road,” Andrusisin said.
The final project on the ballot is a donation to the Penn State Hershey Center for the Protection of Children. Multiple people proposed this project. Morgan Delaware (senior-journalism), the overall chair for the senior class gift committee, was one of them.
“I just thought with everything that has happened in the past year, [the donation] shows we as a student body are above the actions of any one person,” Delaware said. “The fact that [the donation proposal] is on the ballot speaks to the fact that we can move past what happened. We are not covering up, we are acknowledging what happened, we are moving forward.”
For the week of voting at the HUB-Robeson Center, there will be activities on some days. On Wednesday, voters will be able to make their own Nittany pumpkin. On Thursday, students will be able to make their own frescoes like the ones at Old Main. Friday will be a “past to present” day, which will include a photo booth, said Andrusisin.
The winning project proposal will be announced at 11 a.m. Oct. 24. President Rodney Erickson will be present for the presentation, said Delaware.
