Minerva was the goddess of wisdom, war, art, schools and commerce. Less the war part, she is the perfect goddess to oversee the heart of campus at UNCG. She was sculpted by UNCG alumnus Kim Barnhill. She is a donation from the class of 1953, in 2003 for their 50th. They were a graduating class back when the school was still for women only. The above photo features a campus tour guide explaining the tradition of leaving an apple with a bite out at the base of the statue to bring good luck during finals. He was explaining that often, somehow, someone manages to place an apple in Minerva's extended hand, fortunately without causing damage to the statue. These stories, and the people who are vested in a a school, help make an institution of higher education someplace special. Good luck to all of the students finishing final projects and taking final exams.
Soon, the students who have been able to stay on campus this fall will be headed home for an extended winter break.
A splendid shot!
Posted by: William Kendall | Friday, November 20, 2020 at 01:51 PM