The opportunity to leave a mark on the university has been offered by the Student Union Board.

The board is sponsoring a contest for designs to be used to create a new mural outside the Recreation Center in the Memorial Union. The final mural will be located above the bowling lanes at the Union and will cost roughly $3,000.

“I think this will be a great enhancement to the rec area,” said Mike McCoy, Student Union Board vice president. “It shows history and will give a new view to campus.”

The theme for the mural is “A Day In The Life of Iowa State University.” The deadline for submissions is Friday.

“We would like to see anything that shows Iowa State whether it be studying in Central Campus, football games, classes, it doesn’t matter,” said Andy Tofilon, Government of the Student Body president.

In the late 1940s there was a mural of the story of Rip Van Winkle. The mural was removed during renovations in the 1980s.

“We have done an awful lot of renovation in the rec center area,” said Kathy Svec, marketing coordinator for the Memorial Union. “With all of the refurbishment, we thought it would be fun to put a mural back in the rec center.”

Through the use of a drum scanner, a company in Kansas City will enlarge the winning design. The final product will be seven feet by 62 feet.

“There isn’t anything in the Memorial Union that lets people know they’re at Iowa State,” said Tofilon, senior in journalism and mass communication. “I hope that this will help.”

The project is scheduled to be finished by Veishea.

“If that doesn’t happen, I truly hope we can get it done over the summer,” Svec said. “I want this to be a good image, not a fast one.”

The entries will be displayed in the union April 1 and 2. Viewers will be asked to vote for their favorite; the winner will be announced the night of April 2.

“The ultimate prize is having your mural posted on the wall,” she said.

Students in all areas of study are able to enter the contest.