Jayhawk, Academic Jay, Elden C. Tefft

How does this sculpture relate to Strong Hall? I bet you don’t think of the words “soft” and “weak” or “cute” and “funny” when you look at this sculpture. Rather, this jayhawk is strong and powerful. The artist, a former KU professor, said he was inspired by the sharp-beaked “fighting Jayhawks” that were KU mascots from 1929 to 1946. Although a relatively small sculpture, it’s placed on a tall pedestal so that a viewer has to look up to it -and at the same time one sees the building behind it. Considering that Strong Hall is the main administrative building on campus, this jayhawk reinforces the strength and authority of the university. Two other jayhawks can be found along Jayhawk Blvd. Look for sculptures in front of the Kansas Memorial Union and the Adams Alumni Center. These works of art also relate to their surroundings. Take a look at how other artists have expressed their thoughts about our mascot. The artist, Elden Tefft, created the statue of Moses in front of Smith Hall and redesigned the university seal in 1966. Tefft taught sculpture at KU for over 35 years leaving an important legacy when he retired.