D.J. Colson, a sophomore business major from New London, knows something about how to take an idea and make it reality. The new lamppost banners on campus are evidence of that.
It all started with an idea D.J. had during fall semester — one he got after visiting several other colleges about Catawba's size. "I saw they had lamppost banners in place on their campus. I thought we should have some to help create more campus pride here at Catawba."
D.J., who serves as a sophomore class senator in the Student Government Association, spoke to several other SGA members and to SGA President Yakir Malul. They liked his idea for the banners and Yakir encouraged him to come before the SGA and make a budget request to fund the project.
"I researched some companies to get prices, sat down with the graphics designer in Catawba's Public Relations Department, Tracy Ratliff, put together a budget request, and it was approved. Tracy provided me with some banner design mock-ups. I shared these with SGA Congress and they voted on the one they liked the most," D.J. recalled.
In early January, D.J. placed the order and on January 31, the banners went up on campus.
"I think they add a nice touch to campus," he said. "It shows what the school is really about — small school, big opportunities. I've learned about how to communicate with different people to make an idea happen on campus. When I started, I didn't really know about budget requests or anything.
"A lot of my friends say they look nice and the banners are good for recruiting new students. I want to keep working toward campus improvements — like the planter area in front of the Cannon Student Center — it needs flowers and everything that's in there needs to come out. It needs new dirt and to be replanted."
