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A campus landmark will be bathed in blue this weekend as part of a worldwide effort to raise awareness about autism.

The university is taking part in the Light it up Blue campaign initiated by Autism Speaks. The university’s Memorial Chapel will join buildings such as the CN Tower in Toronto and the Empire State Building in New York City to commemorate World Autism Awareness Day on Saturday.

The campus effort is part of the autism awareness project led by the women’s hockey team and coach Scott Wiley. Team members met with President Jeffrey Herbst, who approved the idea for the Chapel.

The women’s hockey team has raised about $18,000 so far this year for autism awareness. It auctioned off special puzzle-piece jerseys that were worn during a Jan. 28 game and had an online player puzzle-piece fundraiser.

Wiley and the team were recently recognized at the Face-Off for a Cure: An Evening to Benefit Autism Speaks and The Gillen Brewer School – an event held in partnership with the National Hockey League.

“It was a tremendous honor to be invited to the 2011 Face-Off for a Cure,” Wiley said of the March 21 event held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

“I was very proud of our program and all the players who put so much effort into our autism awareness project. To have our efforts recognized by the NHL and Autism Speaks was something special.”

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• The women’s hockey team autism project is included in this video:

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