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Ancient Goddesses in New York

An Online Guide to Discovering the Sacred Feminine in
Museums, Temples, and Public Places

Alma Mater at Columbia University

 

Alma Mater has blessed Columbia University with her wise presence for over a hundred years. Students, facilities, dignitaries, and visitors from around the world have stepped on the campus to stand in her presence or have their photos taken. She welcomes all with open arms. Just days after this exhibit launched, the news carried reports of protests and a great deal of upheaval on the campus. Some classes have moved online for student safety. The campus may be closed. Please hold your visit to Alma Mater for another time. Check CNN for updates on the situation. Thank you!

 

 

Alma Mater Warmly Welcomes Seekers of Knowledge

Photo: Laurie Sue Brockway/Goddess Communications

 

Alma Mater is like a wise, welcoming, and nurturing mother on the campus of Columbia University. Students and tourists abound on the busy campus. While she has a wisdom vibe like Athena she is softer, like Cybele. She holds the scepter of wisdom in her hand and a tome of knowledge sits on her lap. She looks up extending her hands to welcome those who seek wisdom. Her statue is over eight feet tall.

Nourishing Mother of Studies, 1907

Photo: Photogravure of Alma Mater, 1907/Public Domain

 
 

 
"Alma Mater has a history much older than Columbia University itself," according to Alma Mater: Early History, an article in the Columbia Univerity Archives. "One can trace the term Alma Mater back to eleventh-century Europe. Founded in 1088, the University of Bologna is considered to be the oldest Western university. Its motto, "Alma Mater Studiorum," (translated: "nourishing mother of studies"), is the first known use of the term in reference to the university from which one graduated."
 

Photo: Laurie Sue Brockway/Goddess Communications

 

Another reason some people think Alma Mater is related to Athena is that she has a tiny owl hiding in the lower left part of her skirt. It was too hard to get a photo but here is her full dress. In October 1953, the sculptor's daughter, Margaret French Cresson, wrote a letter to the New York Times to put speculation to rest, according to "Alma Mater: Lore and Pranks." They shared her statements: "As for the little owl only partially visible in the folds of her college gown, this 'item of mystery' represents no fraternity and poses no labyrinthine riddle," Cresson wrote. "The owl is the age-old symbol of wisdom and was used by the sculptor to convey that interpretation. Possibly [French] was hoping that in pursuit of knowledge, youth might indeed find wisdom."

She Blesses Graduates

Photo: Laurie Sue Brockway/Goddess Communications
 
It is not unusual to see students climb atop the statue to take their graduation photos. She is a symbol of success and the hard work of completing school.

People Love Having Their Photo Taken With Her

Photo: Columbia University/Public Domain

 
Many dignitaries, scholars, and U.S. Presidents have visited her. In this archival photo, President Dwight. D. Eisenhower strikes a pose with Goddess Alma Matta at Columbia University on January 1, 1953.

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