Aubie finds permanent home on campus with bronze figure

Fresh off his 11th Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) national championship, Auburn’s beloved mascot Aubie was honored on Feb. 24 with the unveiling of a bronze figure depicting his likeness in front of the Harold D. Melton Student Center.

The 6-foot-2-inch figure shows Aubie holding an Auburn flag, a nod to his commitment as a spirit leader and his gameday tradition of leading the team onto Pat Dye Field. Artist Alison Brown Caswell consulted on the design and was commissioned to cast the figure. The Oregon-based sculptor is known for creating bronze sculptures of mascots for the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, the University of Southern California and Boise State University, as well as the Buc-ee’s beaver mascot and NBA star and ESPN analyst Bill Walton.  

“Aubie is one of the most universally loved Auburn traditions, and he belongs in a permanent location on campus. He is an important part of our student experience, and we are thrilled that his new home is outside the Melton Student Center,” said Bobby Woodard, senior vice president for Student Affairs.

President Christopher B. Roberts, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering senior director of development Margaret Arnold, former Student Government Association (SGA) President Jake Haston and Aubie Program representative Logan McKenna were also present for the event.

The figure unveiling — which preceded Aubie’s 45th birthday on Feb. 28 — is the culmination of an idea that had been discussed for nearly a decade.

“After Aubie secured his 10th UCA national championship in 2021, we started conversations again about bringing the project to reality,” said Peyton Alsobrook, director of development for Student Affairs.

In April, the Auburn University Board of Trustees (BOT) accepted a plan from Woodard aimed at enhancing the student experience. Part of his proposal included a partnership with SGA and the Aubie Program for a permanent, fully donor-funded figure of the mascot to live outside the Student Center.

Haston said the Aubie Program and Student Affairs brought possible plans for the figure to his attention following his election as SGA president. When Haston discussed the plans with student leaders, he saw “their overwhelming excitement about the idea” and advocated for the plan to the BOT.

Philanthropic support from Auburn alumni, friends and fans was vital to bringing the figure to life on campus — from the initial brainstorm through the final unveiling.

“The love the Auburn Family has for the university and Aubie is simply unmatched,” Alsobrook said. “Several Aubie Program alumni and former leaders became key advocates for the project, providing both major philanthropic support, as well as their expertise and leadership in making this project a reality. It’s because of their generosity — along with the generous support from alumni and friends over this past year — that we were able to solidify Aubie’s legacy as a beloved Auburn tradition.”

More than 180 individual donors across the university’s 12 colleges made gifts to fund the figure.

Long before his days as an elite mascot and goodwill ambassador for Auburn, Aubie’s existence began as a cartoon character created by Birmingham Post-Herald artist Phil Neel, debuting on the Auburn football program in October 1959. He made his first live appearance on Feb. 28, 1979, at the SEC Basketball Tournament, and has since been a symbol of Auburn’s unwavering school spirit.

Whether you’ve watched Aubie’s antics during sporting events or posed for a photo with him around campus, Auburn fans have a favorite story featuring the mischievous and fun-loving tiger. Ally Mills Dorrough, a College of Liberal Arts alumna, said her favorite memory was when her children first met Aubie at an Auburn baseball game in 2022.

“They couldn't run any faster and or smile any bigger,” Dorrough said. “It was like they met Santa, but better!”

Aubie, who makes more than 1,000 appearances a year, has won a record 11 mascot national championships — more than any other mascot in the United States. Aubie was named the 2014 Capital One Mascot of the Year and was among the first three college mascots inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2006.

“I can’t wait to see students embrace this new campus landmark,” Haston said. “I hope the figure serves as a joyful gathering place for those visiting campus for the first time, students meeting before a big game and alumni reminiscing on their experiences on campus.”