Serendipity abounds

I was pleased to meet artist and sculptor Obie Simonis last week. He and family were in Southern Oregon to look at his sculptures on the OIT and Southern Oregon University campuses.

Obie created the “Radiant Flux” artwork that rests outside the College Union. He indicated that an OIT engineering technology alumnus helped him pull the forms for the piece. Obie had high praise for OIT’s high-caliber of professional training.

His wife, Jacqueline, is the Associate Dean and Co-Director of Student Support Services at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She was very interested in OIT. Ironically, when they walked into my office, I thought I was meeting a new student in their son Lucas.

I love the serendipity of life experience. Obie’s survey of his work taught me more about our campus history, and he will be back on campus in the future to polish “Radiant Flux” and affix a nameplate.

At the bottom of this post, I’m placing photos of the construction progress on the CHP. I appreciated the anonymous request for more photos, and Zack’s interest in seeing more, too. By the way, Zack, the junipers around campus are being removed to make way for more sod. Many of the junipers are dying and the grass will help the campus grounds crews keep everything looking tidy. Wherever it is feasible, flowers will be planted.

On the note of serendipity, did you know that all of the roses around campus were donated by Jackson and Perkins? All Roger Hulet has to do is pick up the phone and make a request; the company then provides the rose bushes for planting. It’s really enhanced the beauty of our campus.