By AARON HUFF
Brigham Young himself will speak in the WSC Garden Court as part of the Senior Celebration.
Not the real Brigham Young, of course, but a life-size robot built by students and faculty from the Engineering and Technology Department.
“He is run by pneumatics. We literally put the breath of life in him,” said Tom Erekson, director of the school of technology.
Historically speaking, this will be the first time President Young will use a scripted speech in public. Although Brigham’s script has not been programmed yet, Erekson said Brigham would likely congratulate all the seniors from his pulpit.
In 2002, the robot has another speaking assignment. Brigham will be in the Delta Terminal in the Salt Lake International Airport, Erekson said.
Another department-sponsored activity at the Senior Celebration includes a dunk tank. The Student Honor Association is planning on having the tank with a poster that says, “Stand for something or you’ll fall for anything,” said Spencer Goo, president of the association.
Persons in the dunk tank will likely be office staff and professors who volunteer, Goo said.
“We want to congratulate the graduating seniors for graduating with honor and encourage them to continue to stand for something as BYU graduates,” he said.
The Aerospace Studies Department will reward students who demonstrate superior flying skills with a simulated aircraft. The department will have a flight simulator video game on a big-screen TV. Students who have a high enough score will win Air Force ROTC T-shirts, Lt. Joshua Williams said.
Cougar Magazine will award an all-expense-paid trip for two to the “Inn on the Creek” bed and breakfast in Midway, Wasatch County. The grand prize winner will also win a haircut, a large pizza with two toppings and a year’s subscription to Cougar Magazine.
The College of Biology and Agriculture will have two booths. In the first, they will serve sparkling frozen yogurt. The department will also have a tractor pull to test the seniors’ physical strength, said Lonnie Riggs, the department secretary.
The Alumni Association will give away T-shirts to students who fill out a form giving their actual and e-mail forwarding addresses, said Rex Pugmire, administrator of alumni activities.
“I’m hoping seniors will take part in it. In the past, it has been a tremendous success, and I hope it continues in the future,” he said.
The BYU Bookstore will have a ring toss. Students will get three tries to plant a ring on a row of two liter bottles. The winners will receive T-shirts and baseball caps. All contestants will receive free candy bars, said Gordon Brown, the general merchandise manager of specialty items.
Four other departments will be sponsoring booths at the Senior Celebration: the Marriott School of Management, the Development Office, Theatre and Media Arts and NewsNet.
