Jean & Jerry Bepko Beautify IUPUI A Big Hit!

	Volunteers at This Year's 'Beautify IUPUI' Event

INDIANAPOLIS - This year’s Beautify IUPUI event was held on Sept. 23. About 100 people volunteered to plant flowers, spread mulch, and to pick up cigarette butts and other litter all over campus.

Campus Facility Services was the host. Craig McKinney, assistant director for grounds, was very pleased with this year's program. "Through our cooperative efforts with the Center for Earth & Environmental Sciences (CEES) we have been able to expand this program's projects by engaging more students in the care of the campus. It has been a great tool to bring the importance of campus cleanliness and beauty to the attention of students and staff."

Two semi-truck loads (approximately 40,000 pounds) of mulch were spread in a three-hour period. Areas that were mulched included University Library, the Union Building, University College, Cavanaugh Hall, The Tennis Center, ET, SL and LD buildings, Blackford Street Garage, and University Place Hotel/Conference Center.

Kara Salazar, the education outreach coordinator for CEES, has been instrumental in helping to expand Beautify to include students. Over 50 students volunteered to participate in this year's event. Most were registered through CEES. Salazar said "CEES' Environmental Service Learning Program engages students in environmental stewardship projects within central Indiana to address issues such as improving water quality and combating non-point source pollution. Beautify IUPUI is an excellent way for faculty, staff, and students to come together to enhance our local, campus environment."

Emily Wren, assistant vice chancellor for facilities, said "I am so pleased with the development of this event. Our partnership with CEES has been so important to the success of the event. Because of our partnership we have more and more students participate each year. It is great for the CFS staff to collaborate with the students and staff that we serve everyday. CFS appreciates the care and concern the IUPUI community expresses about the beauty of our campus."

Beautify IUPUI is an annual event hosted by Campus Facility Services each September.