VCU news

By Kimberly Selden
VCU Communications and Public Relations

Virginia Commonwealth University Sports Center graduate Bryan J. Banning has taken his school pride to the streets.

During Banning’s undergraduate term at VCU he came up with the idea to paint ram heads — the VCU mascot — on streets near the Monroe Park Campus to increase school pride.

"’Ram the Streets’ helps VCU by increasing school pride and spirit among students, faculty, staff and alumni,” Banning said. “It gives the city more of a college campus look and feel and it also illustrates the great partnership that VCU has with the city and surrounding communities in allowing a project like this to happen.”

Banning is a part-time personal trainer and a former resident director who served on the building committee for the Cary Street gym. In seeking new ideas for the gym, Banning and other members of the building committee visited several universities to look at their facilities.

While visiting the University of Virginia, Banning noticed the university’s logo painted on the streets around campus. He then decided that he would pursue a similar project for VCU – “Ram the Streets”.

Gaining support for the project was a long road.

Banning began with VCU’s Student Government Association, where he served as a senator. He wrote a bill in February 2006, proposing the idea, which quickly passed. After receiving the SGA’s support, he gained the support of the university.

However, having supporters did not bring Banning’s idea to life. He had to obtain funding as well as approval from the City of Richmond. Banning made presentations to city officials to gain their approval. Funding for the project would later come from VCU’s facilities management budget.

“Now you can walk or ride down Floyd Avenue and see the ram heads,” he said. “I think it gives students, especially new students, a sense of belonging and welcomes them to Richmond and to VCU.”  Four other streets, including Franklin, Main, Cary and Grace, are scheduled to be completed by July 4, after final approval from the city.

Banning says perseverance and determination are the only things that will bring a great idea to life.

“Try and try again,” Banning said. “I kept trying again and again until I got an answer.”