Walk This Way

Although it’s been a little quiet lately here on the RMU campus, one common sound throughout the summer has been the steady “beep, beep, beep” of construction vehicles. From renovations to dorms to freshly paved roads, there have been some exciting changes at RMU this year and, best of all, there’s a lot more to come.

One thing students will notice when they return to RMU this year is the increased walk-ability of the campus. It seems everywhere you look there’s a new sidewalk, paved walkway, or stairway. This is great news because, not only will these new additions make it easier to get around campus, but they will also make it safer. And as an added bonus, after spending a couple semesters climbing these new stairways to get to and from class, our students will be able to boast about their Quads of Steel.

There’s also a new walkway from Nicholson Center to Revere, a new paved pathway from the softball field up to the tennis courts, and a new sidewalk along the new road below the soccer fields, which is a big step in the nearly finished loop road around campus.

Yep, with all these walk-ability improvements, it’s obvious that Robert Morris University is taking a step in the right direction.

Sorry about that.

The Edward A. Nicholson Student Center

The first time I visited Robert Morris University, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Like many people, the only part of campus I’d ever seen was the football stadium, which is visible from University Boulevard. I had no idea what lay just over the hill.

The building that really caught my eye was the Edward A. Nicholson Student Center. As you drive along Campus Drive, this 78,000-square-foot brick structure, with its distinctive dome and cupola, appears on your left at the end of an expansive lawn. Built in 1999, today it’s the centerpiece of the RMU campus, providing a gathering place for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors.

The Nicholson Center is always buzzing with activity. Down on the first floor, you’ll find the Barnes & Noble Bookstore, featuring a wide selection of RMU gear and apparel. Walk up the rotunda’s spiral staircase to the second floor and you’ll find the Food Court and dining area, the Office of Student Life, and other student-based services. The third level houses the Admissions Office and RoMo's Café, and on the fourth you’ll find the School of Communications & Information Systems, along with various faculty offices and study lounge areas.

Originally known simply as the “student center,” it soon became clear that such an important building was deserving of a more significant designation. The name chosen was that of Edward A. Nicholson.

Edward A. Nicholson served as president of RMU from 1989 to 2005. During this time, Nicholson helped RMU grow from a specialty business college into a leading broad-based university by focusing on the expansion of graduate programs, the development of more research programs, and the creation of significant community service initiatives.

In October 2005, RMU honored Nicholson with the university's prestigious Patriot Award for both his leadership to RMU and his significant contributions to the greater Pittsburgh region. He has served on the boards of the Greater Pittsburgh Council-Boy Scouts of America, Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, Pennsylvania Economy League, Pittsburgh Symphony Society, Ohio Valley General Hospital, and Pennsylvania Partnership for Economic Education, to name a few. He is a corporate member of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, chair of the Airport Market Area Taskforce, training chair and board member of the United Way of Allegheny County. He also serves on the advisory board for the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management.

Nicholson retired as president of RMU in July 2005; however, he has remained active with the university, including teaching as a professor of management. The Nicholson Center stands today as a tribute to this man who did so much to help RMU become what it is today.

A Stroll Through the Magical Forest

I still remember the first time I saw those towering pines standing guard just outside Massey Hall. It was a cold day in January and it was my first time ever on the RMU campus. A thin layer of snow blanket the ground and built small drifts on the sidewalk as the winter wind whipped through the trees. And that sound—you know, the whooshing sound the wind makes as it pushes through a pine tree—it made me feel like I was a thousand miles away out in the wilderness, rather than just 15 minutes from Pittsburgh.

There was a lamppost there, too, within the trees, and it got me to thinking. At that moment, if a half-human, half-goat would have emerged from behind the trees, I could’ve been in Narnia rather than Moon Township. Then again, if a half-human, half-goat had emerged from behind the trees, I would’ve screamed and ran away and never come back to RMU again. Luckily that didn’t happen.

If you’ve ever been to Robert Morris University, you probably know what trees I’m talking about. Covering an area that stretches from Massey Hall almost all the way over to Nicholson Center, these majestic giants create a miniature forest, if you will, and make up one of the more unique and peaceful spots on campus. And there’s even a cement pathway running right through the middle of them, providing a delightful trek in an enchanted setting. I’ve even heard people refer to these trees as the “Magical Forest,” and it’s easy to see why.

Being a writer, I’m not really a numbers guy. Heck, I need my wife’s help just to figure out how much to tip when we go out for dinner. But ever since I first saw these huge pine trees, I was curious to know just how many there were. So, one day I went out and counted them, not once but three times. And of course, I came up with three different numbers. But let’s just say there’s around 200 of these trees out there (at least, there were before three of them blew down in a windstorm last fall).

I was also curious to find out just what type of trees these were and approximately how old they might be. So I consulted RMU’s Department of Science and its resident tree expert William J. Dress, Ph.D. Dress, the department head and assistant professor of science, told me there’s a few different types of pines in this grouping. “There are several white pine and hemlock,” he says, “but there are probably at least one or two more types as well.” As for the age of the trees, he couldn’t be sure without cutting one down and counting the rings, which would be somewhat contrary to the point of my inquiry. But he estimates that most of them are at least 50 years old.

If you’ve never gotten a chance to walk through RMU’s “Magical Forest,” I urge you to do so. Just be on the lookout for any half-human, half-goat creatures. I’m still not convinced.

- Valentine J. Brkich