Peace Garden is 1997 class gift

In voting held last week, a majority of the ballots cast favored the "Peace Garden" over two other possible class gifts. The garden will be constructed on the lawn between the north end of Henderson Building and nearby McAllister Building, just to the west of the Hetzel Union Building lawn on the University Park Campus.

The garden's design will be chosen through an open competition among Penn State faculty, staff and students who have skills in landscape architecture. Plans could include stone walkways, floral designs, fountains, benches and lighting.

"Selecting this gift shows that seniors want to help beautify central campus and put an otherwise overlooked space to good use," said Chris Weideman, chair of the senior class gift committee. "Creating the Peace Garden will help preserve open space and give students, faculty and staff an out-of-the-way spot for study and conversation without all the pedestrian traffic of the malls."

Nearly $11,000 for construction of the garden has already been raised through members of the senior class pledging the balance of their $50 general deposit. The general deposit is held during a student's undergraduate years to cover unforeseen expenses, fees and emergency costs.

"Although most of a class gift's funds typically come from the general deposits, the gift committee is also planning other fund-raising activities designed to support the Peace Garden project," said Weideman. "Some of the things we have in mind are T-shirt sales and special events that will be announced in the near future."

The other gift options presented to the seniors involved a scholarship endowment and interactive information technology to help students prepare to study overseas in the Education Abroad Program, and a fund to construct friezes, or outdoor sculpted reliefs, depicting people of different cultures as an adornment for the new Paul Robeson Cultural Center.

Ideas for the class gift were accepted from late August until Sept. 20. Approximately 35 people submitted ideas, which resulted in 26 distinct proposals being brought before the gift selection committee, consisting of 16 seniors and members of the faculty, staff and administration. The committee narrowed the options to the final three gift ideas on the ballot.

Senior class gifts have been a Penn State tradition since 1861, and include such landmarks as the Old Main clock tower and the Nittany Lion Shrine. Last year's class has raised nearly $115,000 for an endowment to help preserve the University Park Campus elm trees. For a partial listing of other gifts, click here.