Client

Overview

“The Spirit of Indiana” features five athletes, huddling together with their arms reaching each other in the center. Each figure is about 8 feet tall. With the raised arm included, they reach just about 10 feet 5 inches. In total, the solid bronze sculpture weighs almost 5,000 pounds. The art piece is situated among the crisscrossing brick pathways of Miller Plaza, and it will now serve as the centerpiece of the beautiful, reimagined southern entry to the IU Athletics campus. “The Spirit of Indiana” was made possible by a major gift from Pat and Mike Miller in 2016 in support of the Indiana University Excellence Academy.

Goals

The sculpture’s name reflects IU’s 1925 slogan, “The Spirit of Indiana,” which means team over self. This slogan has followed IU Athletics until 2010 when it was changed to "24 sports, one team".

Additional Information

“The Miller family is excited to welcome ‘The Spirit of Indiana’ to its home on the IU Athletics campus and look forward to it being an inviting gathering spot for all,” said Pat Miller. “In addition to being a wonderful addition to one of the nation’s most beautiful campuses, the new art piece also symbolizes the commitment to the team over self that has been a staple of IU Athletics for generations. We are pleased to dedicate this piece to all past, present and future IU student-athletes, and appreciate the efforts of so many in creating something that encapsulates and embraces what it means to be a student-athlete at Indiana University.” Photo credit courtesy of Indiana University Athletics.