The University of Mississippi’s marketing, “Build Your Legacy,” is put into action every year with the new placement of senior bricks in the Circle by the Lyceum.
The bricks are sold by the Ole Miss Alumni Association for $300 each and feature up to three lines of text for graduates to leave a lasting message on the campus. Each graduating class’ bricks are grouped together on one of the paths through the Circle.
Some students choose to highlight their majors, Greek chapters or student organizations. Other bricks tell more personal stories.
Senior biomedical engineering major Sandra Arroyo dedicated her brick to her parents with the message, “For Mom and Dad, thank you!” She said her parents’ hard work is what got her to the place she is today, and she would not have made it without their sacrifices and support.
“My mom is an elementary school teacher who goes above and beyond for her students, even once buying a student a new pair of glasses when their family couldn’t afford it,” Arroyo said. “My dad is a construction worker who has worked long, labor-intensive hours, including one 16-hour shift that left him sick from exhaustion, just to provide for us. When I asked him why he pushed himself so hard, he said, ‘Because I have to, for you and your brothers.’”
Arroyo said that her graduation will realize her father’s dream of seeing one of his children earn a degree.
“His dream was always for us to finish school and earn a degree so we wouldn’t have to work as hard as he did,” Arroyo said. “Although my brothers took different paths, my parents never stopped believing in us. This brick is for them, to show that I couldn’t have made it here without their sacrifices and support.”
Senior integrated marketing communications major Olivia Blonsky’s brick purchased by her parents features the nickname “Warrior Princess.” Even though she says it is not a phrase she would have put on it herself, she finds humor in the tribute.
“(Warrior Princess) was my childhood nickname, and my parents chose it because it reminds them of me growing up,” Blonsky said. “Even though it makes me laugh a little, it means so much to me because it’s (my parents’) way of showing how proud they are and how much they believe in me.”
Senior mechanical engineering major Tori Saenz’s brick also references a nickname: “Travel Bug.”
“The last line (on the brick) comes from the saying ‘catch the travel bug,’ which means to have a strong passion for traveling,” Saenz said. “Sometime in the past few years, I caught the travel bug pretty fiercely and have spent nearly every free moment traveling the world or saving and planning for my next trip.”
Others, like senior international studies major Adam Rosenbaum who has the phrase “I seek to do justice” on his brick, hope to leave a message looking toward the future.
“I am attending law school this coming year and thought, ‘What better legacy to leave than justice,’ when going into the field to uphold it,” Rosenbaum said.
Rosenbaum’s brick message was also influenced by his spirituality.
“Additionally, I took a bit of inspiration from the Bible: ‘Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow (Isaiah 1:17),’” Rosenbaum said. “My message is me declaring my mission in life: to live my life in the service of others.”
Senior criminal justice major Kyle Ruther’s brick also reflects his religiosity, featuring the phrase “Ave Maria,” which translates to “Hail Mary” in Latin.
“Mary is an example in my faith of what righteous obedience looks like and is important to my faith,” Ruther said. “The phrase symbolizes my Catholic identity, and anyone who reads it will understand the influence my faith has had on my time here at the university. I want other Catholics to not be ashamed of their faith and to remember that they are present on campus when they see my message.”
These bricks are not just part of the pavement; they are a testament to the kinds of people that enter the university and a dedication to the people who guide graduates on their journey to commencement.
“I hope to leave behind a legacy that reminds others to always lean on their support system, whether it’s family, friends or anyone who will give you the world,” Arroyo said. “Success is rarely achieved alone. It’s built on the love, sacrifices and encouragement of the people who believe in you most.”
