Historical Street Clocks Chosen As 2002 Penn State Senior Class Gift
October 31, 2001
University Park, Pa.—Penn State’s Class of 2002 has chosen to fund the installation of historical street clocks on the University Park campus for its senior class gift. Seniors have pledged more than $16,000 so far to the street clock project. The number of clocks will depend on the final cost of each clock and the total dollars raised by the class.
The seniors also voted to dedicate the gift to the memory of the victims of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, according to Erica Schneider, chair of the senior class gift committee.
“This year's gift provides a new element for Penn State's campus that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing,” said Schneider, a geology major from Mechanicsville, Va. “The clocks will be new landmarks on campus, providing time pieces for those out of sight of the Old Main bell tower.”
Schneider notes that the designer of the clocks has not yet been determined, but it is proposed that they have a historic look similar to ones found in downtown State College. The final design and locations for the clocks will be determined by representatives of the Senior Class Gift Committee and the Offices of Physical Plant and Campus Planning and Design.
The winning idea came from two seniors, Allison Meybohn and Jennifer Stern, who made separate proposals for street clocks.
About 1,700 seniors cast ballots last week (Oct. 22-26) in-person and on-line—a record for voting turnout—with 72 percent choosing to vote via the Web. The street clock project won over two other items, a scholarship to support campus unity and an outdoor café/patio for the Career Services Building, with nearly three-fourths of the ballots being cast for the clocks.
Funding for senior class gifts is raised through members of the senior class pledging the balance of their general deposit. The University holds general deposits for each student to cover unforeseen expenses, fees and emergency costs.
Penn State seniors have been making class gifts to the University for more than 100 years. It began when seniors from the Class of 1861, at their reunion in 1890, gave the University a portrait of Penn State’s first president, Evan Pugh, that still hangs in the lobby of Old Main. More recent gifts include two aquariums in the HUB-Robeson Center from the class of 1999 and historic “shepherd’s crook” lamps to light campus walkways from the class of 2001.
To see what gifts previous senior classes have made to Penn State, go to: http://www.development.psu.edu/WaysToGive/AnnualFund/seniorgiftlist.asp.
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Contact:
Mike Bezilla (814) 863-4512 (work) (814) 238-5842 (home) mxb13@psu.edu
Laura Stocker (814) 863-4512 (work) (814) 237-2013 (home) lstocker@psu.edu