Colorado State University - Pueblo students give second bronzed wolf statue to campus

Pueblo-  Visitors to the Colorado State University-Pueblo campus will find a new guardian of sorts in the form of a howling wolf statue perched on a knoll on the east side of campus. King of the Hill, as the statue is nicknamed, was purchased and gifted to the University by the Student Facility Fee Committee and installed last week. Lighting will be completed in the coming weeks.

The life-sized wolf is made of cast aluminum with a bronzed-tone finish. It stands approximately 45 inches from the base to the tip of his nose and weighs about 80 pounds. The students chose to have the wolf be life size, so that it would actually “fit into” the natural setting. The purchase of the statue from Rocky Mountain Materials, Inc., in Colorado Springs and installation totaled just over $5275.

Amanda Cristelli, vice president of Associated Students’ Government and a member of the Student Facility Fee Committee, said students were looking for ways to establish the University’s identity as Thunderwolves.

“We wanted something to greet visitors to campus and to connect with our mascot, with our identity,” Cristelli said.

The Student Facility Fee Committee funds projects across campus that benefit students and involve improvement and beautification of campus from student fee dollars collected for this purpose. For example, the asphalt walkways near the Technology Building will be replaced with concrete sidewalks thanks to these student fee dollars.

This is the second such gift from students. In January of 2004, students commemorated the University’s name change from University of Southern Colorado to Colorado State University-Pueblo with the donation of a 40-inch high, 140-pound bronzed wolf statue by sculptor Brenda Daniher that is mounted on a rock southeast of the Fountain Plaza area on campus.





Colorado State University - Pueblo is a regional, comprehensive university emphasizing professional, career-oriented, and applied programs. Displaying excellence in teaching, celebrating diversity, and engaging in service and outreach, CSU-Pueblo is distinguished by access, opportunity, and the overall quality of services provided to its students.