Alumni News, UMBC Alumni Association

Alumni News, UMBC Alumni Association

In 1986, UMBC commissioned alumna Paulette Raye �87, philosophy, to create a bronze-cast model of the Retriever for the school�s 20th anniversary. Raye worked in a studio at Towson University, using a Chesapeake Bay Retriever named Nitty Gritty as her model. The 500-pound, life-size statue was unveiled on December 7, 1987, outside of the Field House, now the plaza between the Administration Building and the Retriever Activities Center. Its name, True Grit,� is actually the name of Nitty Gritty�s father. In an interview with UMBC Magazine, Raye said that she wasn�t exactly sure why the mascot received that name [True Grit instead of Nitty Gritty] � other than it sounded bold and strong�like the [school�s] team.�

This edition of the newsletter asked alumni to be a believer in our Retriever� and make donations toward the commissioned statue of UMBC�s mascot.

University Publications

Fall 1986

newsletters; 11 x 8.5 in.

UPUB A3-013