New 43-foot sculpture ‘Upward Bound’ adds character to LCC campus 

THURSDAY, Nov. 14 — While the weather outside is frightful and gray, Lansing Community College’s towering new sculpture brings a new dimension to the downtown campus. 

The ribbon cutting at noon next Friday, Nov. 22, will show off a huge new sculpture to join the campus’ existing, generous collection of abstract outdoor art. LCC President Brent Knight pitched the idea of placing a jaw-dropping art sculpture in the heart of the quadrangle, said architect Matthew J. McGaughey.   

“The intent is that this green space becomes more of a gathering space for students,” said McGaughey. “You can see it from so many different angles, creating a piece that is unique from each perspective. Depending on what side you are approaching it from, you can read some of the colors, surfaces and forms. But until you get close and walk all around it, you can’t understand all the elements.” 

Sitting on a 50-ton base, “Upward Bound” gets its name from its three pillars shooting up 43 feet into the sky. The color choices – red, blue and green -- follow the scheme of other sculptures on campus that Knight and McGaughey have done. After the ribbon cutting at 12:30 p.m., a reception and dedication will take place at Gannon Conference Center. 

The sculpture is a gift from the family of Andrew Abood, a lawyer and LCC trustee, to honor their mother, Patricia. As a young woman, she pursued a masters at Michigan State University in English and education. Abood said she raised 10 children but never lost her interest in reading and writing.  

“She was a lifelong student and inspired three of her children to get masters’ in education,” Abood said. “Seven of her kids went to law school, so not only did they have bachelor degrees but also juris doctorates.” 

Abood said he didn’t play a hand in the design of the sculpture, but he said he could appreciate the metaphor behind the three twisting beams’ various approaches to its summit. He said each of his siblings took “different paths,” pursuing higher education.