As part of the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg’s Blue & Gold Week: Homecoming 2018 activities, a tour of the campus’ iconic stained glass windows will be offered. Stained-glass artist Terry Bengel, who is also a Pitt alumnus, will lead the tour at 1 p.m. Saturday, October 20. Participants are asked to meet at Lynch Hall to join the tour (150 Finoli Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601).
Bengel designed and installed five of the stained glass pieces in place at the Hempfield Township campus. Through his tour, he will share the history behind the installations, as well as the intricacies and symbolism of the designs and his signature elements. Bengel is familiar with the campus, having attended classes there before finishing his degree in Humanities and Fine Arts at the Pittsburgh campus in 1980.
Among the most visible installations are “Upward to the Light” that is mounted on the tower of Millstein Library and “Fountain of Life” that adorns the windows of the Mary Lou Campana Chapel and Lecture Center. His other pieces are “Neujahr 1989,” displayed on the second floor of Millstein Library, that depicts the breakdown of the Berlin Wall; the University of Pittsburgh seal that is part of the Chambers Hall Hempfield Room; and a rendering of the University of Pittsburgh coat of arms that greets visitors in the front door of Lynch Hall.
For nearly 50 years, Bengel has been studying, creating, and restoring stained glass masterpieces. The list of public commissions and major restorations of his work reads like a who’s who of churches, synagogues, non-profit organizations, and businesses that pepper the southwestern Pennsylvania region.
This is a walking tour through the campus, so those planning to attend should wear comfortable shoes. The tour is part of the Homecoming activities planned for October 20 that include the Pitt-Greensburg Car Cruise, Blue & Gold Festival, Blue & Gold Art Show, the Blue & Gold Mini-Golf course, and the Pumpkin Patch. All of these activities are family-friendly and open to the public.