Bridge over water feature dedicated to honor sisters

By Abbigail Overfelt
Assistant Web Editor

On Aug. 7, a campus landmark was dedicated to a Pembroke student and her family.

Photo by Amanda Hickey The bridge over the water feature is dedicated to sisters Alicia and Whitney Jones. The bridge was dedicated to the sisters in August.

The bridge was dedicated to sisters Alicia and Whitney Jones. Whitney Jones is a North Carolina Teaching Fellows student that joined the class of 2011 this fall.

Whitney Jones feels honored to have a campus landmark in her and her sister’s name.

“I think it’s a privilege that your mom and dad care about you, your sister, and the school enough to name the bridge after you and also to help out with the football team,” she said.

Parents Jeff Jones, owner of Lumberton based company National Steel Erectors, and his wife Robin Jones earned naming rights to the steel bridge over the water feature by donating to the First and Ten campaign.

The football campaign accepts donations for the naming rights of several structures on campus starting at $2,500 per year for five years, or $12,500.

Robin Jones said that she and her husband were motivated to donate to the University because they are “interested in the growth of the university,” and are happy to assist in the First and Ten campaign for football.

She explained that the donation was fitting since her husband builds bridges for a living. “We also wanted to leave a legacy for the girls,” Jones added.

According to Lorna Ricotta, director of the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations, the structures on campus used to be named after people for honorary purposes.

“From this point on,” she said, “naming rights are earned solely on donations.”