Bruce Ekstrand Memorial to be Dedicated Friday
The media are invited to attend the dedication of a sculpture plaza at the University of Colorado at Boulder Friday, Sept. 5, in memory of the late Bruce Ekstrand, former vice chancellor for academic affairs.
The dedication will begin at 4 p.m. and last about 45 minutes. The event is not open to the general public, but about 200 friends and relatives were invited to attend.
Ekstrand died in April 1996, at the age of 55, of respiratory failure caused by a cerebral aneurysm. He had been a member of the CU-Boulder faculty for 30 years and had been vice chancellor for academic affairs from July 1986 until his death.
The plaza, with its bronze sculpture of Ekstrands favorite poet, Robert Frost, is located at the south entrance to Old Main in the heart of Norlin Quadrangle.
The sculpture, which is mounted on a curved sandstone bench, will be unveiled at the ceremony. It depicts Frost in the midst of writing a poem.
The piece was created by Loveland artist George Lundeen, whose bronze sculpture of a girl on a swing is a focal point on the Downtown Boulder Mall.
When I saw it, my first instinct was to sit down next to him, said Pat Magette, a retired CU staff member who worked for Ekstrand in the Office of Academic Affairs for nine years.
The sculpture and plaza were made possible through private donations.
CU Regents Bob Sievers and Jim Martin, President John Buechner, Chancellor Richard Byyny and law Professor Gene Nichol will be among the friends and family members making brief remarks.