This year, the senior Class Board designed, built and installed a “Vita Plena” mosaic in the NC basement as the 2016 class gift. Wooden letters covered in crushed glass and ceramic tile, accompanied by circles of the same style, spell out LT’s motto on the wall near the WLTL studio.

“We liked the idea for the mosaic because it was unique, personal and relatively coast effective,” Senior Class Board President Kalyn Harris ‘16 said. “From the beginning we wanted a gift that would really leave a positive mark on LT, the same way LT has left a positive mark on us.”

Class gifts are a tradition with many schools and universities. They serve as a way for students to give back and say “thank you” to their schools, Student Activities Director Peter Geddeis said. Each class board fundraises for their own gift.

The planning for the gift began in August and the production took about a month, Harris said. Before installing the mosaic, Class Board members designed the look of each circle and letter, found pieces of glass that would complete them, transferred the pieces and pasted them on the adhesive. After 24 hours the letters were then grouted. The installation of the pieces onto the wall near the WLTL studio occurred on March 25.

“We like to consider the mosaic a hidden treasure,” Harris said. “It isn’t in a central location but we feel that it will be a cool discovery to find when you get lost in LT.”

“We liked Vita Plena not just because it would be simple to do but because it is the motto of our school and we wanted to create something that would highlight the words that LT really lives,” Harris said.