Thursday, June 24, 2010
Kent Family Fountain is beautiful welcoming point
The Kent family gathers with (center, left to right) Robbie Kent Sr., President Linda L.M. Bennett, and John Dunn, chair of USI Board of Trustees, during the fountain dedication in May
Robert M. "Robbie" Kent Sr. provided a leadership gift to establish an endowment to benefit the academic programs of the University in perpetuity. The fountain is named the Robert M. Kent Family Fountain recognizing the generous support of the Kent Family to USI. At the dedication in May, Kent said, "USI now has its own special front door or gateway. The fountain introduces the campus and creates a memorable and positive first impression for everyone. It adds energy as well as tranquility to the roundabout. The fountain directs students to the pathway of a vibrant, creative, cultural, and state-of-the-art center of higher education." Kent said he found it ironic that 43 yeas ago he was standing with Dr. David Rice, the USI president and one of Kent′s mentors, on the gravel parking lot of the Centennial building, the first location to offer University classes, and four decades later he is involved in the dedication ceremony of one of the most impressive entrances of any university in America. The roundabout opened in 2009, and it has made a significant improvement to the flow of traffic on campus. The fountain is an attractive addition to the entrance. Facts about the Kent Family Fountain: –¢It contains 15 columns of water which will vary in height from five to six feet. –¢The water jets will automatically adjust in height to the speed of the wind. –¢The water in the fountain continually re-circulates at 657 gallons per minute through a centrally located tank. –¢At night, 30 lights shine on the fountain. On special occasions colored lenses will be used to light the fountain with one-third red one-third, white and one-third blue in a display of the University′s colors. The architectural team and contractors who led the design and construction of the fountain are American StructurePoint, project engineers Weddle Brothers Building Group, general contractors Alva Electric Bartley and Perigo Masonry Contractors, Inc. Commercial Landscaping Service, Inc. and Koberstein Excavating. The entry feature also includes new directional signage and additional landscaping with dozens of trees and perennials. |
Copyright © 2013 University of Southern Indiana. All rights reserved.
