Wilson Oswald, a sophomore from Summerville, S.C., has worked all year to upgrade Marsh Hall’s image to match its newly renovated interior. During the year he renamed the fourth floor the Penthouse, held inspired community-building and educational programming for residents and just created a new, welcoming study space near the building’s lobby area.
“I wanted to end the year with a beautification of Marsh project,” says Oswald, a physics major who serves as a resident assistant in the residence hall. “It’s a great residence hall for building community. Students can leave their doors open. That makes people friends a lot faster.”
Oswald recruited Jonathan Hall, a junior English major from Mebane, N.C., to help.
“When Wilson approached me, I thought, I have stuff already that will make this easier,” says Hall, referring to sketches and the concept, which draws from landmarks on campus and in Spartanburg.
Oswald then mobilized Create, an initiative of the Wofford Wellness Center that offers students a regular creative outlet and a chance to destress through art.
Eliza Taylor ’19, a biology major from Greenville, Tenn., who begins dental school in the fall, has spent the year helping Lisa Lefebvre, director of employee wellness and medical services, plan and organize Create events. When the group decided the Marsh study room mural also would make a fun campus outreach program, she invited students to “leave your mark on Marsh” and made the mural the final Create project of the year.
“It was a great way to integrate more people and to take a break from studying for exams,” she says. “Marsh is special. Love it or hate it, everyone has a memory here.”