The heart of Keplinger Hall is decorated with a multitude of flags heralding from countries across the globe as well as a multitude of U.S. states.
But a question remains: what do the flags mean? Is it university specific or are they just thrown out there for looks?
“The flags represent the countries of students who have majored in the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences,” said Dottie Smith, Senior Assistant to the Dean for Administration and Special Projects.
The tradition of these flags was started by Dr. Steven J. Bellovich.
Bellovich served as Dean of the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences from 1995 until his death in 2012.
Residing over the upper level of Keplinger Hall are the state flags of the United States, while the bottom level of KEP is decorated with flags that represent the countries of international students.
The flags represent an astounding range of countries, from Sweden to Malaysia.
Smith said, “The flags are hung without regard to political or religious views, for, as Dean Bellovich put it, ‘Education makes everyone equal.’”
The flags around Keplinger Hall serve as a visual representation of the worldwide range of the student body, past and present.
