Texas A&M Opens Call For Artists To Create Statue Of School Mascot, Reveille

Texas A&M University has announced a public competition to commission a permanent art installation in honor of the school’s collie mascot, Reveille.

The installation will be located on campus outside of Kyle Field near Reveille Memorial, the resting place of Texas A&M’s former mascots. Installation of the piece is projected for spring 2022.

The piece is envisioned as a statue, said Daniel J. Pugh, vice president for the Division of Student Affairs, although artists may submit ideas for other types of artwork to represent Reveille. He said on a campus well known for its traditions, the mascot tradition is certainly deserving of permanent commemoration.

“The traditions surrounding our mascot are as robust as they are for any other campus icon, and this project will allow us to tell the mascot story in a far more visual and descriptive fashion,” Pugh said. “Most mascots aren’t nearly as integrated into the daily fabric of campus life. From Reveille I to the current sole candidate to be Reveille X, Aggies have a special place in their heart for ‘Miss Rev.’”

Professional artists or artist teams may submit their entries, which should include a resume and images of three different previous public art projects, on the Texas A&M University Art Galleries website. Organizers said artists should consider figurative and other interesting elements as part of their concept, as well as the Aggie Core Values.

The project is funded entirely by donations collected by The Texas A&M Foundation. The fundraising goal of $350,000 has been exceeded, Pugh said, and the funds will cover the cost of the selection process, statue/base, installation, and endowed care and maintenance.

Reveille, known as the “First Lady of Aggieland,” has served as the Texas A&M mascot since 1931. The current mascot, Reveille IX, is set to retire in May; her successor, Reveille X, has been chosen and is training to assume the role. Read more about the Reveille tradition.

The project has been spearheaded by Sonja and Neal Adams ’68, major donors in a group of supporters known as the “Friends of Reveille.” Neal Adams received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Texas A&M, was a member of the student senate, a cadet in Companies D2 and D3, and served as Head Yell Leader for the 1967-68 academic year. Adams and his wife Sonja, who earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Baylor University, have been longtime Texas A&M supporters.

“I want to extend a special thanks to Sonja and Neal Adams who have remained steadfastly committed to this project,” Pugh said. “They have done all the heavy lifting, from concept to fundraising. This is clearly a labor of love for both Reveille and Texas A&M.”

For more information on the call for artists visit the University Galleries website.