Colorado State University offers opportunities to pay tribute to individuals or groups associated with the University. The dedication of a tree or bench provides a lasting way to commemorate a significant person or event and contributes to the beauty of the campus.
Commemorative Trees
Trees provide aesthetic beauty and are a fitting way to pay tribute to a person, group, or special memory. A gift to Colorado State University in the form of a tree allows your commemoration to grow and bloom with the changing seasons and will be a welcome addition to the more than 10,000 trees that populate the CSU campus.
Minimum Gift Amount: $3,000, price includes tree, labor, maintenance, bronze plaque, and planting.
Commemorative Benches
Similar to trees, benches center your commemoration around a place to sit, contemplate, and take in the sights and sounds of campus. Benches are six feet long and constructed of a very dense, durable, and sustainably harvested Brazilian walnut called ipe. Benches are mounted on a concrete pad.
Minimum Gift Amount: $10,000, price includes bench, labor, maintenance, bronze plaque, and installation.
Contact
For more information about commemorative trees and benches, contact University Advancement at DonorRelations@colostate.edu.
Where Beauty and Remembrance Converge
Read the story of Bill and Cynthia Tremblay, who dedicated a named bench in summer 2021 as an expression of affection for CSU.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I start the process of installing a commemorative tree or bench?
Fill out University Advancement’s application form to begin the process of purchasing a commemorative tree or bench. Applications are submitted to the Vice President for University Advancement and University Naming Committee for approval, and the University reserves the right to decline requests for any reason deemed appropriate by the University.
Trees and benches will not be ordered or installed until all appropriate funds are received. Any amounts in excess of the minimum gift amounts will be used for tree and bench maintenance or additional University landscaping projects.
Can I choose where the tree is planted or the bench is placed?
Applicants will work with the University Landscape Architect to identify a suitable and desired site for a tree or bench that aligns with the Campus Master Plan. The only sites that are currently off limits are the Oval, Trial and Perennial Gardens, Canvas Stadium, Sherwood Forest, and the Great Green (green space and intramural fields expanding from the Lory Student Center to Shields Avenue).
The University reserves the right to relocate trees or benches at a future date because of changing University needs. Reasonable efforts will be made to notify and consult with the donor in determining an acceptable alternate location.
Can I attend the planting of the tree or the installation of a bench?
Applicants can request a site-side service and be present during the planting of a tree or following the installation of a bench. Our team is happy to guide applicants through this process and accommodate requests where possible.
When do plantings and bench placements occur?
Most planting and bench placement occur between late April and late September and are weather dependent.
Where does the plaque go and what can I put on it?
For benches, plaques can be placed on either the concrete pad or in the center of the top of the bench. For trees, plaques can be placed on a small concrete pad beside the tree.
Plaque language can be chosen by the friends/family but must be reviewed and approved by University officials. While there is no specific word or character limit, plaques placed on the top of benches are limited in the lines of text available.
What if a tree or bench is destroyed, damaged, or needs to be replaced?
If a tree, bench, or accompanying plaque is damaged, CSU will cover the cost of replacement for up to 15 years.
If a donor requests a replacement plaque due to personal situations, the donor is responsible for all costs associated with the replacement.
Can I include ashes or other forms of remembrance in the hole with the tree?
We are more than happy to accommodate the placing of ashes in the hole during the tree planting. Ashes must be loose and not contained within any other object. If it’s of interest to you, we can also provide biodegradable slips of paper that you can write messages on to grow with the roots of the tree. We do not allow other forms of remembrance as it could affect the growth of the tree or be impacted by future movement or replacement of the tree.
