Students milling about between classes will soon have numerous places to sit across UL Lafayette’s campus.
A recently implemented project ¬– Benches for Beautification – will place benches, tables and trash receptacles across campus. It’s an expansion of a SGA program that placed benches near Moody Hall and the Quad.
Bryan Laperouse, a former SGA president for the B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration and recent graduate, hatched the idea while still on campus.
“ The idea was originally designed to improve the areas around the College of Business,” said Laperouse. “But once I brought the idea to the SGA senate, others thought it would be unfair to other colleges. This is when the idea came about to make this project larger and in phases.”
Laperouse has been working with Dr. Ed Dugas and other members of the Benches for Beautification committee since then.
“ It was a wonderful concept from the start,” said Dugas. “The leadership from the student government began this project and is seeing it through.”
A $2,000 donation will place a bench or table at a designated location on campus. Maps detailing locations have been created by the Physical Plant Department.
Several locations across campus including the Quad, Martin Hall, Moody Hall, F.G. Mouton Hall, Bittle Hall, O.K. Allen Hall and along Cypress Lake near Burke-Hawthorne Hall are included in Phase I of the project.
Donors will have the opportunity to choose the location of the bench or table they select and also “name” the bench. A permanent sign will be engraved and attached to the benches.
“ With these name plates, everyone on campus will see the generosity of this community,” said Dugas. “And, some may be inspired to do their own part in keeping our campus beautiful.”
Phase II of the project will be an expansion of locations. The money collected for the benches, tables and receptacles will be placed in an account dedicated to campus improvements.
To make a donation to the Benches for Beautification project, call UL Lafayette’s Development Office at 337-482-0922.