Photo Credits: Olivia Ambery
When students returned back to school after a long summer off, many may have noticed the newest addition to campus— a large, hollywood-sign-style ‘OW’ near the campus center parking lot. This sign is Old Westbury’s latest effort to create a bold, recognizable landmark to reinforce school pride and act as a physical differentiator from other college campuses.
Installed by instruction of President Sams before classes began, the OW sign is one of 8 monuments around our school. It takes its place along with our two Panther statues, three cracked ice sculptures, the Push and Pull statue, and of course, Ole Worm.
Many students simply pass them right by without any mind, but these monuments are installed with a purpose of promoting social justice values and contributing to our campus’s visual identity. Installations like sculptures and monuments incite curiosity about our school and act as physical symbols to show that we prioritize a creative education. The OW sign in particular was created so that students could have a pronounced place to stand for graduation photos, freshman class photos, or just to have a point of pride.
Photo Credit: Michael Kinane
Description (Provided by Michael Kinane): The campus’ new Panther statue was unveiled during the 2009 Panther Pride Homecoming Kickoff Barbecue by (from left to right) College President Calvin O. Butts, III, Vice President for Business Affairs Len L. Davis, and Student Government Association President Lisa Ribacoff.
Featured monuments like our two Panthers were a gift given for Panther Pride Homecoming in October of 2009. “The statues were the brainchild of Len L. Davis, who served as the campus’ chief financial officer and vice president for business and finance from 2001 until his retirement in 2021.” Said Michael Kinane, Vice President for Communications & University Relations at Old Westbury. “He advocated for both the statues and Panther Pride Homecoming so that the students, alumni, faculty and staff could have reasons to come together to share in — and show — the pride they felt for SUNY Old Westbury. Mr. Davis passed away in 2022.”
Mr. Davis’s effort and years of commitment to the well being of our students is still seen as we pass by his contributions every day.
President Sams noted that he’d enjoy having our panthers be a site of interaction.
“I’ve been at schools where they would paint or put clothing on their Panther, or do something as a healthy competition between the school. I like those kinds of things—they submit your identity to your institute…” He said.
Photo Credits: Olivia Ambery
One of the three cracked ice sculptures installed in March 2024 (Artist credited as Del Geist.)
President Sams noted that he’d enjoy having our panthers be a site of interaction.
“I’ve been at schools where they would paint or put clothing on their Panther, or do something as a healthy competition between the school. I like those kinds of things—they submit your identity to your institute…” He said.
The cracked ice sculptures were the most recent addition to our institution until the OW sign. They were created with the intention of calling attention to the ongoing climate crisis.
“‘Cracked Ice’ features three structures of stone and stainless steel, symbolizing massive boulders suspended by the remnants of ancient glaciers, now shrinking from the gradual melting of ice over time. The works are sited to appear slightly precarious as a metaphor for climate change, alluding to a precarious situation for the earth (oldwestbury.edu).”
When students pass them by on the way from the parking lot to the campus center, they are given the opportunity to consider the meaning behind their creation and the message they spread on their way to class.
Photo Credits: Vincent Arroyo
Ole Worm, pictured above, is a personal favorite of President Sams. The bust is based on a 17th century Danish physician who was known as an avid learner, doctor, and educator. Having him immortalized in stone in between the New Academic Building and Campus Center is meant to encourage students to pursue academic excellence and brilliance while also being a site to express themselves creatively.
“For me, the importance of Ole Worm is not just because of the acronym OW,” President Sams paused, “But it inspires us to say that my liberal arts education, shaped around excellence, charges me to go out and explore anything my heart desires.”
“It says to our students, this is the point at which you open your door to all possibilities. [It says that] you have a right to dream and think expansively.” Added President Sams.
As for future monuments, President Sams says he has a lot of goals in mind — one being to lessen the amount of concrete around campus. His effort has already begun with the painting of a curved wall in front of the Woodland Halls. He hopes to have the art department eventually begin more projects with students on concrete walls that will act as a site of remembrance for years to come.
