Southeast Missouri State University student publication

Construction started on National Pan-Hellenic Council Plaza

Friday, April 6, 2018
Construction began March 12 on the future NPHC Plaza in the Northeast corner of Parker Field.
Photo by Katelyn Mary Skaggs

It took nearly 40 years, but the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) will soon have a plaza in Parker Field on the Southeast campus this year.

The NPHC’s charter at Southeast dates back to 1979, but a physical presence of the 5 historically black greek organizations on campus will elevate the profile of the organizations.

“NPHC has been put on the back-burner for so long and this project itself will bring us to the light,” Jaleea Hudson-Wilson, president of NPHC said.

An illustration of what the NPHC Plaza will look like once completed during the summer.
Photo submitted by Tom Hadler

The plaza will be located on the northeast corner of Parker Field. Construction on the site began March 12 and is anticipated to be completed by July 31.

Hudson-Wilson said she and executive board members have noticed a lack of representation on campus for the five active NPHC chapters at Southeast.

The NPHC has lacked a space for representation on campus, said Hudson-Wilson.

The new addition will include an upper plaza terrace and lower plaza gathering area.

“It brings significant improvement to an area that was in need of improvement,” said project manager Tom Hadler. “It gives NPHC a place to call their home.”

Three 18-inch seating walls will radiate downhill resembling stadium seating from the center point which will be a sculptural planter with a sign wall. Lawn terraces will be included between the seating walls.

The NPHC hopes to use this space to initiate collaboration within all Greek chapters.

“When I came into office, I thought, ‘OK, this is going to be my first goal,’” Hudson-Wilson said.

Students involved in NPHC helped with the design of the Plaza.

“We went through a number of designs over the past many months and they were involved every time,” Hadler said.

Parker Field was viewed as a key location for the plaza.

“It’s a high-traffic area, and it needed some development,” Hadler said.

Eight plaque pedestals representing the chapters of the NPHC will surround the center point of the plaza, Hadler said.

The crest, name, motto and founding date of each chapter will be displayed on each of the aluminum plaques.

On the back side of each pedestal, the NPHC chapters will have their Greek letters carved into corten steel.

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