All hands are on deck from Liberty University’s Grounds Department as they have been preparing for Commencement since mid-February, and preparation won’t end until after the final ceremony on May 15.
Mulching, pruning and sidewalk repairs are in full swing across Liberty’s property to welcome over 100,000 graduates, family members and friends to campus for graduation weekend.
Head of Landscape and Property Maintenance Barry Simpson said mulching typically takes a team of 11 or 12 men to get the job done.
“We’ll go through somewhere between 24 and 30 tractor-trailer loads of mulch, which, to put that in perspective, if you put it on a football field from end zone to end zone … two inches thick, you go through three football fields of mulch,” Simpson said.
But the work doesn’t stop there. During the warmer months, Simpson’s team plants thousands of flowers and greenery to bring life to Liberty’s landscapes.
“We put anywhere between 3,000 to 3,500, either six-inch or four-inch pots and they’re scattered throughout the campus and beds that are in the ground or in planters around,” Simpson said.
Sidewalks, walkways and other paths are another spot in need of repairs before Commencement. Simpson said the safety of visitors is of the utmost importance.
“We want to be sure our students and these 100,000 people that are going to be here in the next couple of weeks are safe,” Simpson said. “Now, we’ve always got things we can work on, but in general areas that we know are going to be … used quite a bit — we’re having to do quite a few repairs right now.”
Simpson said the Grounds Department takes pride in representing the university by keeping the grounds well maintained and visually appealing, especially for online students who will be receiving their diploma in person.
“I think I can speak for all of us,” Simpson said. “Graduation is the most important, but we want to make it look good year-round, 365. I mean, that’s our goal. But we put a little more emphasis on around graduation. There are people from other countries that come to walk — they’ve never seen the campus … so, they’re coming for the first time.”
Head of Waste and Recycling Leo Cabrera said in making sure Williams Stadium is ready for guests, pressure washing begins two weeks in advance.
“We take about two weeks, nonstop, every day, eight hours to 10-hour shifts, and we pressure wash the whole stadium,” Cabrera said.
In addition to Commencement, Cabrera said residential student move-out is another undertaking that keeps his team busy at the beginning of May.
“Move out is right next to Commencement; it happens altogether,” Cabrera said. “It’s a whole two weeks of intensity and a little bit of stress, but once it’s done, it’s done.”
During those two weeks, Cabrera keeps his team working around the clock to ensure a beautiful, litter-free campus.
“We keep litter control on campus the whole week, because we’re going to have visitors, parents, students — they’re all coming,” Cabrera said.
With over 21 floors to collect trash from between Liberty’s three parking garages and over 100 trash cans across the campus, Cabrera said his team works tirelessly to keep the property clean and inviting with a heart posture of serving the Lord.
“This campus is a gift of God, to you guys as students, for us as employees, and I think visitors come and every time, they say that this is probably one of the best campuses they’ve ever been to,” Cabrera said.
Director of Grounds Tracey Norvelle said keeping campus beautiful is a team effort, but their contribution to the effort helps to reinforce the university’s high standards of excellence.
“I think we’re the icing on the cake,” Norvelle said. “And we want to make the icing just as smooth and beautiful as we can.”
Liberty’s grounds keeping team appreciates visitors’ effort to throw away their trash during Commencement weekend. When everyone contributes to keep the campus clean, it helps them fulfill their mission.
“The purpose of Liberty University’s grounds is to provide safe, clean and aesthetically pleasing outdoor environments for students and staff to enjoy nature. Grounds also manages and oversees all waste management including an aggressive recycling and composting program designed to minimize landfill contributions,” according to its mission statement.
Service requests and more information can be found at liberty.edu/facilities-management/grounds/.
Riden is the campus news editor for the Liberty Champion.