Penny family’s generosity helps restore Potter Lake’s beauty

The University of Kansas community gathered Sept. 26 to commemorate the renovation of Potter Lake’s natural beauty. University leaders spoke in praise of the renewed site, and students tested the water with a cardboard-boat competition

The restoration was possible thanks to a gift from KU alumni Bill and Marlene Penny of Lawrence. Their generosity will allow the 114-year-old pond to continue flourishing and making Jayhawk memories for decades to come.

Potter Lake is a special place for the Pennys. They are a Jayhawk family with ties to the university as far back as Potter Lake’s inception in 1911, and with children and a grandchild who are KU graduates.

“This was literally our kids’ playground for the first 10 years of their early lives,” Marlene Penny said. “You can’t mention Potter Lake to anyone who has ever been on the campus without them saying, ‘Oh, yeah, we had our family pictures taken there,’ or ‘My sister’s husband proposed to her there.’”

Chancellor Doug Girod and former KU Endowment President Dale Seuferling also spoke at the event. Girod said that Potter Lake is a staple in the KU community and student experience, from hosting unearthed goalposts following a winning football game to being the scene of graduation photos.

“It’s rare that you come by this site and you don’t see people out there,” Girod said. “It might be out there in a hammock. It might be out there on a blanket, reading. And then, if you want to see total chaos, come up here the day after it snows because the sledding happens here.”

Seuferling said when he talked about KU to people from around the world, the campus’ charm was often what stood out.

“They’d always say, ‘The beauty of the campus is what won me over, what sticks in my mind, and how much of a special place it really is,’” Seuferling said.

Seuferling emphasized the importance of campus beautification and how these gifts are investments to make a greater KU. He mentioned projects that have become iconic campus landmarks throughout the years, including the Campanile and Jayhawk Boulevard’s 2015 renovation.

“Donors stepped forward and made that possible,” Seuferling said.

The Pennys’ generosity is the foundation of the ongoing beautification of Potter Lake. There are plans to landscape the pond’s spillway with natural stonework and plant native flora in the basin area. If you are interested in enhancing Potter Lake’s beauty, you can give directly to its LaunchKU fund. You can also reach out to Austin Ice, assistant vice president of donor engagement at KU Endowment, at [email protected] or 785-832-7375.