In light of many campus renovations, students may have noticed that despite the barbecue grill and Wilden’s flat screens and exclusive suites, the most talked-about update is the first of five bronze statues.
The seven-foot-tall and larger than life bronze cougar statue was installed over Mid-semester Break and has quickly become an overnight celebrity and Internet sensation.
“I knew it would be a buzz, but I didn’t know it would be this big of a buzz,” Executive Vice President David Bixby said. “On Sunday when I got here, there was a line of students taking pictures, so I just got in line.”
The bronze statue has raised questions about current decision making and the overall financial status of the university.
“I can’t share [the price of the statue], but let me be clear—it was a gift, and we didn’t pay a dime for it,” Bixby said.
The statue was a housewarming gift from George and Bernie Fermanian, who are major contributors to the Wilden renovation project and other artwork, such as the Staircase to Success and other artwork.
“We donated the museum-quality bronze cougar for the business school to elevate the profile and increase the prestige of the business school to the APU student body and the business community at large,” said the Fermanians in a statement.
The monumental statue, dubbed the “Turning Point” by artist Jocelyn Russell, was originally imagined as a tabletop-size sculpture.
“I think it’s a great allegory of the school spirit,” APU professor of geography and history Charles Carrill said. “It’s not just a piece of artwork, it’s a wonderful execution of the animal, which is the mascot of the school….It’s marvelous! I’ve never seen the animal captured like this except in a photograph.”
Senior business economics major Marcus Gonzalez said the statue complements the other renovations recently made to Wilden.
“It’s totally different, but it definitely flows with the new remodel, so it makes sense,” Gonzalez said.
Senior psychology major Siobhan Gadallah said that she admires the specificity of the statue.
“It’s pretty wild looking, and the detail is impeccable,” Gadallah said.
For some students, the statue will serve as more than just something nice to look at. According to senior nursing major Christian Lim, it has the potential to turn into a popular meeting place.
“It gives the school more personality, and is definitely more of a landmark,” Lim said. “Now you can tell your friends, ‘Hey, let’s meet next to the cougar.'”