A new bison statue, a gift from the Class of 1975, was installed on Sept. 14 outside of the Kenneth Langone Athletics and Recreation Center. The previous bison statue, a gift from the Class of 1942, was transferred from that location to directly outside of the MacDonald Commons.

The new Bison, 8 feet tall at the shoulder, weighs 1,500 pounds and is 1.5 times the size of the North American bison. The statue is much larger than the class of 1942 bison, and adopts a more powerful stance that intends to convey leadership and courage.

“The artist intended this sculpture to represent the ‘Can do!’ attitude of Bucknellians: feet firmly planted, facing forward, ready to take on the future,” Campus Art Advisory Committee Chair and Director of the Samek Art Museum Richard Rinehart said.

The statue was sculpted by artist Craig Campbell, who was chosen after an extensive search by the Campus Art Advisory Committee due to his experience with sculpting realistic animals and permanent outdoor display. This Committee, which oversees all permanent indoor and outdoor displays on campus, made the final decisions about the design and placement of the statue.

Jeff Puff ’75 spearheaded the gift from the class of 1975, funded by a campaign that began during their 40th reunion. Puff’s parents, Charles ’42 and Isabel Clark Puff ’43, served on the committee to fund the class of 1942 bison.