New Aesthetics Planned for Outdoor Study Areas

by Macey Kroeger

Every year as the temperatures rise, Concordia students look for places to work on homework outside, and professors find outdoor locations where their classes can enjoy learning in the nice weather.

The Concordia Exterior Aesthetics Committee is looking at ways to beautify the campus and is currently working on plans for the exterior of the new science building which will be completed by spring of 2020.

The committee has recently been looking at rebuilding the space on the east side of Founders Hall to make it more functional for student use.

The chairman of the Exterior Aesthetics Committee and Professor of Art Don Robson has many ideas for the aesthetic of Founders Hall.

“We are looking for ways to make it more aesthetic and functional as a classroom space and a place for students to study,” Robson said.

There is a potential for cleaning all of it out and putting in some new plants and benches for students to be able to use. Some of the students in the art department are working with the committee to put up more artistic pieces in this area to embellish the exterior of the campus.

Jennifer Fruend, another member of the Exterior Aesthetics Committee and Assistant Professor of Biology, is also working on the Founders Hall aesthetic.

“My perspective is that being around plants and nature actually boosts test scores and academic performances. There are interesting studies that show these links,” Fruend said.

Fruend is working with her conservation biology class in picking out some plants and flowers for the east side of Founders.

“We are picking out some native plants so that in theory they will be low maintenance. We also want flowers that will bloom very early in the spring and bloom at the end of the summer too,”  Fruend said.

 The Exterior Aesthetics Committee is planning on beginning to plant some of these flowers and plants sometime around mid-April when the weather starts to get warmer.

“I hope that changing this space next to Founders will get students back out into the quad to enjoy the outdoors and also works to enhance the aesthetic of the Concordia campus”  Robson said.

photo by Robin Consier