The Student Memorial Garden found its place on Kent’s campus this semester.

The Student Memorial Garden is being built adjacent to Manchester Field near Midway Drive behind the Student Center, said Brian Pickering, a project manager for the Office of the University Architect.

“The idea for the garden was first envisioned by the Undergraduate Student Government,” said Pickering. “It will be a place for those who have lost a friend, classmate, child or even a parent.”

The memorial will include a water fountain, pool, seating, pathways and plants, said Pickering. There will not be any symbols or names in the Student Memorial Garden, it will be a place for students to reflect.

The Student Memorial Garden will create a singular location for student memorials, according to the https://www2.kent.edu/universityarchitect/projects/descriptionofcurrentprojects.cfm.

The impact of the Student Memorial Garden on the students is still unknown, but it will be a beautiful spot for students to go, said Greg Jarvie, vice president of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs.

“It’s expected to be a very tranquil area of campus,” said Jarvie. “It will be considered sort of a semi-private area.”

The Kent State Grounds department will take care of the space making sure it is cleaned up and free of distractions, said Pickering.

The area where the Student Memorial Garden will be is still fenced off and hidden, said Jarvie, but the completion date is supposed to be around Dec. 1, according to the press release online.

“The completion date will be sometime before the end of the year,” said Jarvie. “The weather will play a factor in making that possible.”

The Student Memorial Garden will join the May 4 Memorial, which presents visitors with the opportunity to look deeper into the events that led to the killing and wounding of students on May 4, 1970, according to its website.

Whether or not an opening ceremony will happen has not yet been determined, said Pickering.

Contact Anthony Didion at [email protected].