Sculpting of the lion statue  has been completed and has been sent off to be cast in bronzed. The process will take three to four months.

The statue will be placed in front of Billingsly Student Center after the construction of a plaza design has been completed.

“I think the lion is really cool and really neat looking,” Bob Harrington, director of the Physical Plant, said.

“It will be beautiful for us on campus. We won’t actually set it until we have the plaza done. It should be completed by the beginning of fall semester.“

The plaza to be placed in front of Billingsly will incorporate raised seating, trees and lighting that will circle the statue.

The plaza has been designed to invite students to a more central location on campus.

There are also plans to design a renovated space on the oval.

The master facility plan that was developed last semester has been the driving force behind many current and upcoming projects around campus, including the statue and proposed plaza.

Missouri Southern has teamed up with RDG, a planning and design company, not only creating these future building and beautification projects, but to design and help carry them out.

Missouri Southern has many other projects under way including adding gateway signs around campus.

“Right now we have nothing to let people know that they’ve come onto campus other than buildings and parking lots,” Harrington said.

“I’ve submitted to the presidents council to place some large directional signs around campus, along with monument signs in front of every building on campus.”

Designs have been completed for gateway signs to be placed behind Kunh Hall, by Newman road heading east toward campus, also by Duquesne road heading south towards campus.

“They are actually very cool looking. I think it will be a neat addition to this campus,” Harrington said.

“With any luck the gateway signs will be done by the first of the semester. It is going to be beautiful.”

Other projects Missouri Southern looks forward to include storm shelters, a door addition to Webster Hall and standardized benches and trash receptacles.

A grant from FEMA has been approved by the state to fund storm shelters to be placed on campus.

Missouri Southern is currently waiting federal approval.

An additional door will soon be placed in Webster to allow easy access to the lifelong learning center.

The master plan also calls for standardized benches and trash receptacles to be placed on campus for a more unified look.

The plan calls for many projects to be completed on campus over the course of the next 25 years when funding is available.

“All it takes is time and money,” Harrington said.

“I’m just waiting for that big truck of money to pull up and say we’re ready to go.”