On Wednesday, Oct. 24 at noon, the new ISU Bengal statue was unveiled outside the SUB Quad Entrance. Amid the celebration spirits ran high in the unexpectedly warm weather.
The celebratory spirit was enhanced by the presence of the ISU band, the Bengal Dancers and Benny the Bengal – all of whom helped to increase the excitement.
The statue’s sculptor, Malynda Cooper, spoke briefly about her work, and ASISU President Matt Bloxham, ISU Vice President for Advancement Kent Tingey, and ISU President Vailas also orated.
Many members of the student body and faculty gathered to watch the unveiling. The statue, despite having been installed for some time, was kept out of sight under a tarp prior to the unveiling. Emma Doupé, Arts & Letters ASISU Senator, commented, “[The statue] has been under a tarp for two weeks, so he probably needs to breathe. But now he’s probably going to get snowed on.”
Bloxham expressed his thanks for everyone who helped make the statue a reality. The statue, he stated, is a gift from ASISU, and thereby the student body, to ISU, and he hopes that it will remain a symbol for years to come. “This gift will last much longer than most of us will be at ISU,” Bloxham commented. “We’ll be able to bring our children here.”
After a tension-filled drumroll, the statue was finally unveiled to audible sounds of excitement from the crowd.
Vailas spoke of his hopes that the statue would help to “solidify a certain tradition” — a tradition that Bloxham soon unveiled. Or, as Bloxham himself put it, he “let the cat out of the bag.” The tiger, as the Bengal Newspaper has previously elucidated, is a Chinese symbol of luck. A key feature of the statue is an outstretched front paw, easily reachable from the sidewalk running up to the SUB. Bloxham hopes that the statue itself will become a sign of luck for ISU, and that students hurrying on their way to tests or other nerve-wracking events will reach out to touch the outstretched paw as a token of luck.
Anjel Zamora, ASISU Vice President, led the onlookers in the newly created Bengal Cheer, after which all lined up to touch the paw of the Bengal.
Refreshments were served afterwards in the SUB.