How Georgia Southern’s Division of Facilities Services lights up campus for the holidays
Burnett Lawn in Savannah and Sweetheart Circle in Statesboro are illuminated with thousands of twinkling lights during the holiday season, a tradition at Georgia Southern University that is marked with annual lighting celebrations. But what does it take to complete this festive transformation?
Nearly a dozen members of the Division of Facilities Services begin preparing for the holiday decorating in early October. Terry Hart, structural superintendent in the Division of Facilities Services, begins working with other departments within the division to ensure the buildings are cleaned and have fresh paint if necessary.
Giant wooden boxes painted like gifts appear on Sweetheart Circle in early November, signaling the beginning of the holiday season. Robert Noah, senior graphics tech with the department, takes the lead on the project annually and has worked to decorate for the holidays for the last 11 years.
“Every year it’s fun, and it’s a great project to work on,” he said. “But at the same time, it’s a little stressful just trying to get everything done within a time limit.”
Between six and eight staff work for nearly two weeks to hang lights, wreaths and garland on the buildings around Sweetheart Circle, the lamp posts and the iconic GSU bushes. On the Armstrong Campus, lights are strung around the large oak trees on Burnett Lawn, the Georgia Southern University sign, and garland and bows are also hung.
Between the Armstrong and Statesboro campuses, 42,000 lights are displayed each year. The Marvin Pittman Administration building is the most difficult to decorate because the majority of the decorations must be placed using a boom lift because of the building’s height. Power connections also have to be strategically placed to minimize visibility.
Despite the difficulties, Marvin Pittman is the most rewarding to see once it is fully decorated, Hart said.
“When the lights are up and everything works perfectly, it’s just really beautiful out here,” added Noah. “We do this for the campus and the community, and it’s just nice to give everyone something to look forward to.”
The annual lighting ceremonies, which happen the first week in December and are hosted by the University Programming Board and Office of Student Activities, give the biggest reward to the staff.
“My favorite part of the whole process is when we’re at the lighting ceremony, and we see the final product and the joy on the faces of everyone, especially the kids,” Hart said.
Given 2020, Hart said the facilities team hopes the lights give a sense of normalcy for students, staff, faculty and members of the community.
“It's a team effort to make this happen, and we hope it lifts everyone’s spirits for the holiday season,” Hart said. “We also hope it gives some sense of normalcy, peace and joy to everyone.”