The five-year process of planning and erecting the ram statue on campus officially came to an end on Thursday afternoon, as a short ceremony was held by both students and faculty to officially consecrate and recognize the statue.The project for the ram statue originated in the Student Government Association five years ago under the leadership of then-president Mike Stoll. Stoll sat alongside Jay Mazzerle, Brad Williams, Kevin Foster and Kyle J. Mullins, all of whom served as SGA presidents and took part in the planning of the ram statue. Current SGA president Ben Brautigam began the ceremony with several brief remarks.
“It is bronze proof that students make a difference on campus,” Brautigam said. “It is not only a dedication to university pride but also to the students that learn here.”
Brautigam then welcomed Stoll to speak about how the beginnings of the ram statue project came about.
“We did what we could do to start the ball rolling,” Stoll said.
He explained that while it was during his time as SGA president that the idea for the statue came about, the project was in no way the responsibility of any single person or organization.
According to Stoll, the statue is a tangible symbol of West Chester University. “It is very exciting to be able to recognize where we came from,” he said.
The statue was dedicated to University President Madeleine Wing Adler as well as to the university itself.
A plaque was presented to Adler by Brautigam and SGA Treasurer Jai Northcraft.
“I am thrilled to accept this magnificant sculpture on behalf of the university, ” Adler said. “It already feels like it has been here for years.”
Adler explained that the statue was already serving as a place of gathering and as a focal point of the university.
“The story of the WCU ram shows what can happen when you follow a dream,” she said.
The ceremony for the $48,000 bronze ram, which was circled by flowers and saluted by a performance of the Alma Mater, was the beginning of events for homecoming weekend, which took place on Friday Sept. 28 to Saturday Sept. 29.
Shane Madden is a fourth-year student majoring in History with a minor in Journalism. He can be reached at SM590676@wcupa.edu.