Jimmy Embrescia
jje001@marietta.edu
The class of 2019 is gearing up and getting ready to walk across the stage on May 5. This class has seen changes throughout our campus and the community. They have witnessed two different presidents and new athletic fields while watching programs grow from small to large.
The most noticeable change on campus would be the new turf that was laid down on both the soccer field and at Don Drumm Stadium. The soccer field was a natural grass surface for the first three years that the seniors were here. With the addition of women’s lacrosse, the athletic department saw the need for a new surface. The school went with a Navy blue surface, making it stand out compared to other stadiums in college soccer.
Don Drumm Stadium also saw renovation for the 2018-19 school year. The old turf had been laid down years ago and saw countless football seasons, both college and high school. Additionally, when the river flooded, the water rose so high that the entire field and track were underwater. The athletic department eventually decided to invest in a new surface. The men’s lacrosse team would also play at Don Drumm, requiring new lines to be painted on the field.
Other aesthetic changes have been made to campus.
Physical Plant hangs flags throughout the year on the light poles across campus. These flags typically include campus slogans such as “blaze a new trail,” or “this is the time. This is the place.”
The older wooden bridge that connects the DBRC to McCoy Hall got completely rebuilt for the 2018-19 school year. The frequently traveled bridge is now made out of concrete with steel handrails, an upgrade from the wood bridge that commonly needed planks replaced or repaired.
With regards to parking on campus, when the seniors arrived in 2015 as freshman they were permitted to park in the loop behind Marietta Hall and in the police parking lot. As the size of the freshman classes continued to grow, freshman parking was relocated to a lot on Fourth Street and the PA parking lot. The loop behind freshman housing was then reserved for commuters.
These changes to campus have been widely accepted as being positive by the senior class. Mackenzie Marshall, a member of the senior class attributes these improvements to President Ruud. “He (President Ruud) has done wonders for our athletic facilities and other changes across campus since I’ve been here,” said Marshall.
The seniors of Marietta College have lived through the changes that are now the standard for the freshmen of the college. The seniors saw the sizes of each class rise, the improvements of facilities and an all-around boost to the campus community.
