After four years of attending Le Moyne, I am finally on the verge of graduating and as I thought of what I would remember after I graduated, I didn’t think of the library or the college’s mascot: I thought of the outdoor clock that is at the center of the Le Moyne, and I decided to learn more about it.

After four years at Le Moyne there has been a lot of change but some things have stayed the same. One of which is the clock. No matter which dorm I lived in, what classes I had to take or whatever weather that Syracuse threw at me, that clock was always there.

That clock is outside of Nelligan, where everyone is likely to pass regardless of if they’re a student or a member of the faculty. But to my surprise this clock that in my mind has been so associated with Le Moyne is in fact a newer addition to the campus than I thought.

The clock turned out to have been donated only 11 years ago, back in 2014. It was funded by two Le Moyne graduates: John Purcell, class of 1965 and his wife Kathy Purcell, class of 1966. The donation was made only three years before John died, at 73.

As I found out by emailing Kathy Purcell, the inspiration for the clock was really from her husband, who was inspired by similar clocks in their home in Pittsford, N.Y. “It occurred to him that it would make a nice addition to the campus,” Kathy wrote in her response.

She also wrote: “Being punctual was very important to John in regard to his business schedule and in his social life. He used to tell our children, ‘Unless you arrive at a meeting or an appointment five minutes early, you are late!’”

Kathy said her husband believed a clock in such a prominent spot might reinforce those same habits and qualities in Le Moyne’s students.

Her thoughts and insight about the clock left me with a deeper appreciation for a piece of Le Moyne that has always been on my mind and will continue to be a part of Le Moyne that I remember once I graduate.