By Temo Olvera/Staff Writer

With graduation and the Maastricht Institute approaching Missouri Valley College’s campus is getting a makeover. 

Don Langan, maintenance employee, said, ”We’re going to make campus beautiful.”

When visitors come to Missouri Valley the campus is one of the first things they will see. End-of-year events bring people to the campus. The grounds crew is trimming grass, distributing mulch, and potting flowers in preparation. 

Eric Sappington, the vice president of external relations, said the college president has made it a priority to have the campus be presentable. He said graduation is a time to celebrate the graduating class.

“It doesn’t matter what you do at the college on May seventh, we come together to celebrate the students,” said Sappington. 

Mike Machhoz, associate athletic director, said graduation will bring back alumni who have a connection to the graduating class.

Maastricht also brings in guests from around the world to speak. According to Valley’s website, this year’s speakers will include Cyndy Mayfield, Marshall Saline development corporation executive director, Jayson Thorton from Thornton Advisor Group, and Renee Hoagenson. 

Sappington said whenever the college has guests it should have its best foot forward.

Tim Schulte, the vice president of operations, said For about the past ten years the grounds crew lays mulch, trims grass, and decorates campus in early April. As May approaches the grounds crew finds themselves occupied with setting up and tearing down end-of-year events like Maastricht and Graduation. Schulte said it takes an entire truck trailer of mulch and two days to do the whole campus. The crew is equipped with an ATV, trailer, loader, riding lawn mower, and pickup truck. Mulch is supplied by Gamble Lawn Service. 

“I call and order a load and three days later it shows up,” said Schulte. 

A 12-foot pile of mulch has been dumped in the Burns athletic complex parking lot. MVC maintenance will load up their vehicles and fill the garden beds around campus. A grounds crew member that afternoon said they had been shoveling mulch since nine that morning. 

As the years have gone by Schulte and many of his crew have seen the face of campus change. After they arrived the flower beds around the trees were installed, lamp posts were erected, and new buildings were created. 

Schulte said many Alumni have commented on the beauty of campus when they return for events.