Restored Alma Mater Returns To U Of I

 The University of Illinois' Alma Mater sculpture is back on campus after a year and a half of restoration work.  

The 85-year-old sculpture returned Wednesday morning and crews used a crane to hoist it back on its pedestal on the corner of Wright and Green streets.  

The 10,000-pound bronze sculpture was created by artist Lorado Taft in 1929. It has stood at Wright and Green streets on campus since 1962, although the sculpture originally was installed behind Foellinger Auditorium.  

Over the years, the piece has become a fixture on campus for generations of students, who've their photos taken with it.  

The statue was moved and disassembled in in 2012 for cleaning and a massive restoration.