Wolfie Finds A Permanent Place On Campus

New Statue to Bring Sense of Excitement, Pride

To the Stony Brook University community, Wolfie the Seawolf is more than just a mascot - he is an icon. There is no one on this campus who is a bigger celebrity, there is no one who can light up a room just being there, and there is no one who creates a greater sense of community than Wolfie. Admit it, Wolfie is our very own celebrity.

Now, Wolfie joins the ranks of other beloved mascots around the country with a special monument dedicated solely to him. On September 26 at 4 pm, Stony Brook will unveil a statue of Wolfie, complete with a dedicated bench, perfect for resting, people watching or taking selfies. Rain date for the unveiling will be Friday, September 27 at 11 am.

"We are so excited to show everyone how much we love Wolfie, as he is the heart of our community," said Vice President for Student Affairs Rick Gatteau. "As we have been beautifying our campus, we knew we had to find a way to feature Wolfie as a lasting symbol of Seawolf pride, tradition, and unity for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the entire Stony Brook community. Finally, the perfect opportunity came along."

That perfect opportunity wouldn't have happened without Ken Marcus '71, who generously donated the funds for the statue. He was inspired by his post-Stony Brook experience at the University of Michigan, which has a very prominent Michigan "M" on the campus.

"It occurred to me, 'Well, wouldn't it be nice if Stony Brook had something like that in its central campus,'" Marcus said, acknowledging that while Stony Brook has entered its "great" era, the "M" may still be a little more recognizable than Stony Brook's logo. However, after brainstorming a few ideas, the Wolfie Statue was the one that stood out - even if, technically, he wasn't a Seawolf during his time at Stony Brook.

"When I attended Stony Brook, the mascot was called the Patriots," he said, noting that the '60s was a particularly hard time for the country, making it even more difficult to embrace the Stony Brook mascot. "I think Wolfie is probably a beloved mascot for many generations that came after my ancient time, but I think it will probably prevail. I just hope that it becomes a focal point, a meeting place. Perhaps people will have their photos taken there when they arrive with their loved ones; when they graduate."

And so many from the University, including faculty, staff and students past and present echo his sentiments - especially alumni, who feel that Wolfie represents everything great about Stony Brook.

"Wolfie is more than just a mascot - he's a symbol that brings the entire Stony Brook University community together," said Chris Murray, who earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees at Stony Brook ('10 and '13, respectively). "Our campus community is composed of people from all walks of life and from every corner of the globe, but no matter where we come from, we all share the same excitement when we see Wolfie."

To Christian Sugiarto '16, Wolfie was more than just a mascot. In fact, he was Wolfie himself, a role that brought him immense personal growth and has been integral to his continued development.

"Wolfie means a lot to me. He represents what a model school-spirited student should be: positive, strong, tenacious, diligent, lighthearted, empathetic, kind, and disciplined," said Sugiarto. "Representing him underneath the suit kept me grounded and helped me embody those qualities in my daily life at school. I'm thrilled that Wolfie is finally receiving the tribute he deserves. His legacy will continue and more of him will be spread throughout the campus."

As so many students have pointed out, Wolfie is the glue that brings everyone together. Shouts of, "I am a Seawolf," and "I was a Seawolf too," bring a sense of joy and connection that cannot be matched.

"I always had pride in my home and Wolfie was my medium to convey that," said Dylan Schreiber '17. "I think it's great that Wolfie's getting a statue and I hope it can help be a focal point of students' pride in Stony Brook the way Wolfie always was for me."

- Emily Cappiello

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