Barbara Weiss Kimmel ’83 became the first female mascot in the Ivy League when she donned the Bruno costume in 1980. According to “Ms. Bruno”, “Being the bear enabled me, a person who doesn’t like to draw attention to herself, to be a bit crazy – dancing in front of hundreds of people, being photographed hugging complete strangers.” In addition, Barbara came to the realization that being inside the bear suit had an additional benefit; “I didn’t need to smile for those photos.”
On November 12, 1988 a new bear statue was dedicated at Maddock Alumni Center. The Class of 1949 had commissioned Nick Swearer to create a piece to honor his father, President Howard Swearer. The diminutive five foot six inch bronze bear has a secret – a pair of internal eyes which are especially visible to children who peer into the bear’s smiling mouth. “It’s a child’s bear… it’s child-like and it’s reaching out to you,” noted young Swearer. He added: “I think of it as the mascot bear, the frumpy old bear suit the mascot wears at football games.” The statue was never formally named, but Nick thinks of his father “whenever I pass by it”. The Swearer family (Jan, Nick, and Howard) enjoy a warm moment at the dedication ceremony.
With the closing of Marvel Gym in 1989, the question of Bronze Bruno’s role and location generated heated discussion and debate, much as it had in the 1920s. A Corporation Committee finally decided on Bruno’s location near the College Green. Unlike the original “Put Hair on the Bear Campaign” among students and alumni, funding for the relocation was provided by one individual. At a Commencement weekend re-dedication ceremony on May 23, 1992 Chancellor Artemis A.W. Joukowsky stated: “The placement of Bruno in the bosom of the University – in Brown’s outdoor living room, the College Green fulfills the legacy of Theodore Francis Green. “
On Homecoming Weekend, 2013, the athletic mascot symbol void created when Bronze Bruno migrated to the College Green in 1992 was finally filled. The November 2 dedication of Indomitable, the massive ten-foot- four inch Kodiak bear which stands near the Ittleson Quadrangle and Nelson Fitness Center signaled a new era in Brown athletics. The statue presents a powerful focal point at the entrance to the Erickson Athletic Complex. At the ceremony, sculptor Nick Bibby described his creation as “a tremendous specimen that represents magnificent strength and fearlessness.” A compendium of costumed Brunos over the decades is highlighted by President Christina Paxson and Bruno. The contemporary mascot is Brown’s ambassador at a wide range of athletic and community events.
