NANTICOKE, Pa. — An iconic set of stairs at Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke got a much-needed makeover.
Dozens of alumni, current students, and faculty gathered on Friday to dedicate the new set of steps.
"It had a history and a legacy to it, so it was a major decision for us, but we thought it was time to move on and design new infrastructure here on campus, and the steps were an important part of that," said LCCC President Thomas Leary.
Going from 54 steps to 46 steps, the renovation is bittersweet. Several said farewell to the old stairs earlier this summer which had been a campus staple since 1974.
Now, some feel nostalgic about taking the first walk up the new steps.
"Oh, it was lovely! It's actually a lot easier. I'm a little older now than I was in 1993, so this was very smooth," said Frantz Stegura, class of '93.
Throughout the years, the old staircase was known as a bonding experience for past and present students.
"I was actually watching the news when they were talking about remodeling them, and I remember hearing everyone being like, 'I used to go there, and the stairs were kind of a pain, but sometimes they were fun.' And so going up them, I knew exactly what they were talking about," said LCCC senior Sarah Joseph.
"It may seem like an ordinary set of stairs, but for many, it represents a new chapter in life.
"Individuals who arrive here sometimes aren't even sure of what they want to pursue, but they find their place here, and then 90 percent of them, when they graduate, stay right here in northeastern Pennsylvania. We see them out here living, working in our communities, and giving back," Leary said.
"What he said was true. You were climbing your way to your success. The initial steps were very hard to walk up, and it was probably a metaphor for how you start out in life," Frantz added.
The new staircase is part of a larger campus revitalization project.
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