Title: Alma Mater
Description: The Alma Mater is a bronze statue by sculptor Lorado Taft, a beloved symbol of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The statue was removed from its site at the entrance to the university for restoration in 2012 and was returned to its site in the spring of 2014. The 10,000-pound statue depicts a mother-figure wearing academic robes and flanked by two attendant figures representing "Learning" and "Labor", after the University's motto "Learning and Labor." Sited at the corner of Green Street and Wright Street at the heart of campus, and the edge of Campustown, the statue is iconic for the university and a popular backdrop for student graduation photos. It is appreciated for its romantic, heraldic overtones and warmth of pose.
Author(s): Lorado Taft