The Leave Your Mark event gave people an opportunity to have their names become part of the campus infrastructure and to celebrate the progress made on the new science building, as listed on BYU–Hawaii’s University Events website. Students and staff signed a beam that was placed in the rafters of the new building, allowing students to become a permanent part of the BYUH campus.
The event was organized by James Brown, the director of Design, Planning & Construction, and it was a take on a construction industry tradition known as a “topping out ceremony,” he explained. This ceremony takes place when a building reaches its highest point, normally a Christmas tree or flag is placed on the top beam and the workers share a toast or a meal, Brown explained. “In this instance, we wanted to include students in a way a small tree on top would not,” Brown said.
“It is our hope that all who have signed the beam will always feel a part of the structure and BYUH.” He also hopes to include students in this way in other construction projects around campus and has even proposed installing a time capsule.
Video by Mark Daeson Tabbilos and Emmalee Bazar
Brown emphasized the investment the Church and University are making in the students and faculty here, especially with the recent construction. “Each of these structures represent the faith and sacrifice of the full membership of the Church and represents the hope and love of their Savior, whose church this is,” he said. New structures, he explained, such as the improved science building, will help attract and serve people from around the globe to uplift and educate one another at BYUH.
Industrial I-beams, so named because of their resemblance to the shape of the letter I, are usually not decorated. However, the beam propped up in front of the Academic Advising building on Tuesday, March 23, was covered in a thick, smooth coat of dazzling white paint. Sharpies stood at the ready for students and others to sign it. Anyone passing by could write down whatever they wanted on the beam.
The beam will not be visible to students or visitors after its installation, according to Assistant to the President Laura Tevaga. While it will be exposed, the area of installation up in the buildings rafters is not one with public access. Brown said the beam is installed at the highest point of the new science building.
Student Life representatives were present for part of the day during the signing and passing students and staff were able to contribute.
“I was here for lunch,” said Samantha Hanson, a senior marine biology major from Florida. She wrote her name and her year in school on the beam before leaving. She said the opportunity to write on the beam was fun.
Other students were quite thoughtful about the event. Sateki Vaenuku, a senior hotel and tourism management major from Tonga, said, “This is my last semester. … [The science building] is a new building for new students, so it’s pretty cool to have your name on one of the beams.” In a way, he said it will make him a part of the campus, so he can continue being a “living student.” He wrote his name and drew the flag of Tonga on the beam.
The writings on the beam consisting of signatures, dates, drawings and encouraging messages in many languages.
The beam was placed on the building the day after, on March 24, 2021. The building is expected to be completed in 2022, according to BYUH's Orange Cone webpage, which tracks construction around the BYUH campus.