Looking for a gift for the graduate? Give them something they’ll always remember: Bricks are Forever.
The U of M is selling personalized black granite bricks to be placed in the new Student Plaza, which is now under construction between the Administration Building to the west and Scates Hall to the east.
They’re also going in front of the College of Communication and Fine Arts Building.
The bricks in the Student Plaza will make up the walkways leading to the fountain at the center of the plaza. The bricks come in two sizes, either 4” x 8” for $100 or 8” x 8” for $250. The smaller bricks hold two lines of inscription, and the larger can hold three.
All the proceeds go to the Legacy Scholarship Campaign, which is the financial umbrella for several different scholarships.
“In creating this long-term legacy, you’re putting proceeds back into The University,” said Tona Simpson, director of management services.
Simpson said the whole idea for selling bricks came from the Celebrate 2000 campaign, when The U of M contacted local business and asked them to contribute to the Legacy Scholarship fund.
“It’s all about a legacy,” said Simpson. “We thought most people can’t leave $25,000 in their name, but they could probably buy a couple of bricks and in doing that provide a legacy in giving money for students.”
About 450 bricks have sold. Simpson said that’s only a drop in the bucket. They plan to lay down the bricks in panels. The first one holds 772. They’ve been selling the bricks for about two years now.
“If we sold them all, we’d make a lot of money,” she said with a laugh. “We probably won’t sell them all.”
The bricks in front of the CCFA building will be the same bricks and sold in the same manner, but are also available in a 16” x 16” size, which sells for $1,000. There were ten of these large bricks available, but half have already sold, said Patty Bladon Lawrence, development director for CCFA. The money for the CCFA bricks, however, will go directly to that college.
“That money will fund interests housed in that college,” said Simpson. The CCFA brick is more of a special interest type of brick.”
There aren’t as many CCFA bricks available. Bladon Lawrence said she expects them to sell quickly as they’re about to launch a mass mailing targeting CCFA alumni from the years of 1950 to 1970. She said people can put anybody or anything they want on the brick— a teacher, a parent, an organization-whatever inspires them.
“It’s just a great way to honor someone or memorialize them or just put your name there,” said Bladon Lawrence.
Dan Beasley, director of alumni development, said the best thing about the bricks is that they are a no-brainer present for a graduate.
“You know, who needs another pen? This, this is forever.”
To order the bricks online go to www.memphis.edu/bricks.
