Texas Tech's Beauty Recognized by National Organization

Texas Tech's gounds maintenance staff honored for its work to keep the campus beautiful.

Ask any alumnus or student about Texas Tech and one of the first things you hear is "We have a beautiful campus." Now the Professional Grounds Management Society agrees. The organization recognized Texas Tech with an Honor Award in the Society’s 2007 Green Star Awards competition in October. The award was given in the University and College Grounds category for exceptional grounds maintenance.

"I’m not at all surprised that our grounds maintenance staff would win awards," said Jon Whitmore, president of Texas Tech University. "This is a beautiful campus, and the men and women who keep it looking so spectacular are to be commended. They do a wonderful job."

Texas Tech’s ground maintenance department has 106 employees and cares for more than 2,261 square acres, including the main campus and 10 separate sites around the state. The department is responsible for the landscape of the university as well as all of the brickwork, asphalt, tree care, irrigation installation and maintenance, interior plant maintenance, sign manufacturing and installation, and a host of other duties.

"This is a great honor to receive," said Dewey Shroyer, ground maintenance manager. "It not only recognizes the efforts put in by my staff, but also Texas Tech’s commitment towards enriching the lives of its students and faculty through green spaces."

The Green Star Awards program brings national recognition to grounds maintained with a high degree of excellence, complimenting other national landscape awards programs that recognize outstanding landscape design and construction. Founded in 1911, the Professional Grounds Management Society is an individual membership society of grounds professionals advancing the grounds management profession through education and professional development.