Planting for the future What’s the first thing that helps future students decide that Slippery Rock University is the place for them?
The well-educated faculty? The comfortable beds in the residence halls? Great food in the dining hall? All of those are important, but first impressions count. It’s the way the place looks. The bursts of orange winding along a curved sidewalk, a pop of pink framing a building and that lush green that makes rough concrete edges seem softer. SRU’s recent green up, seeded with close to 75 trees, hundreds of annuals, perennials, shrubs, flower boxes and green roofs, has made campus a more picturesque and enjoyable place. The facelift
provides an eye-catching respite from brick, mortar and concrete. Studies have shown that the first 15 minutes of a campus visit are the most important for prospective students as they decide where they’ll spend the next four years. That’s long before students set foot in the cafeteria, take a seat in a lecture hall, marvel at the equipment in the science lab or play catch on the Quad. Dallas Cott, SRU’s assistant director of campus services, is an integral part of that crucial first 15 minutes. Among Cott’s many duties is the huge job of campus
By Amy Clingensmith Mongiovi ’08
20
The ROCK
Fall 2013