December 22, 2006

During the La Sierra University Christmas break (Dec. 26-Jan. 5) Seniors in Action for God with Excellence (SAGE)—a group based in Washington State—will be creating the continents of Africa and South America across from the Administration Building for “Path of the Just.”

The continents are created with named donations of $20,000 each. Africa is donated by the La Sierra University class of  1949 and South America by Jim and Kathleen Manning, owners of West Coast Travel in Riverside, Calif.  (Australia has already been built.)  With the completion of these three Southern Hemisphere continents, only three more—the Northern Hemisphere continents--remain to be built, Europe, North America and Asia. The goal of the Path of the Just is to transform the La Sierra University campus mall into a series of patios and trees that will honor individuals who stand as role models for our students—individuals whose lives of altruistic service have fostered human rights, individual empowerment, and religious toleration.

“Each continent has foliage native to its home allowing the diverse student body of La Sierra University to enjoy something from their homeland while being reminded of role models who hopefully they will be inspired to emulate,” says Lawrence T. Geraty, Ph.D., president of La Sierra University. “We are proud to have been named most diverse in the west by US News and World Report’s: Best Colleges and Universities for the past four years.  This is another way of celebrating that diversity.”