ow Plaza has been described as one of the great urban spaces in America. It was built to resemble a Greek amphitheater and is ideal for outdoor events, including concerts, theatrical performances and fairs. Students flock to the plaza steps to sunbathe, socialize and study, making it, in the words of a leading architect, a true “urban beach.” Watching over the plaza is Alma Mater, a bronze sculpture by Daniel Chester French, famous for his statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.