Columbia Lion
Columbia University adopted the lion as school mascot in 1910. The idea was originally suggested by George Brokaw '09. [1]
In 1928, the Columbia mascot took on a more visible position as the logo for Goldwyn Pictures Corporation, and subsequently MGM after the studio's merger. MGM's lion, "Leo", was the creation of Journalism School alumni, Howard Dietz '17, who created it for Goldwyn Pictures while working for the Philip Goodman Advertising Agency[2]. It is said that he was inspired by Columbia's fight song, "Roar, Lion, Roar", which was composed in 1925 by Roy Webb '10, winning him the Alumni Federation of Colleges Prize [3].
"The Scholar's Lion" was gifted to the university by sculptor, Greg Wyatt CC'71. It was presented on Dean's Day, April 3, 2004, in honor of the 250th anniversary of Columbia University. Wyatt is sculptor in residence at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine[4]. The bronze lion resides in front of Mathematics and Havemeyer Hall facing the Business School. Initial reactions to the sculpture are immediately drawn to the lion's large bronze testicles, an anatomical feature earning the lion "Best metal testicles" 2004 by The Village Voice [5].
On October 15, 2005 Columbia debuted its revamped college mascot, Roar-ee. Roar-ee beat out other would-be mascots, Hamilton, Hudson, K.C.and J.J..
