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Inside Antioch: A pig with purpose
Architects Jenna La Due and Spencer de Mille decorated the life-size pig with a new era of challenge and growth in mind. Its sunny demeanor is a fine match for Antioch. The pig, officially known as "Pig of the Future," presents a bright mosaic of color to greet all. Pig of the Future was a grand title, but the pig was nameless for several years. In early 2004, Antioch turned to alumni and students to come up with a name that was whimsical yet conveyed the core values of Antioch. After wading through more than 100 entries, the Name the Pig Committee and the President's Team selected Ms. Coco, short for Commitment to Community, as the name for Antioch's Pig of the Future. Caroline "Clooie" (pronounced Cloo-e) Sherman of Seattle, a '97 alumna of the Graduate Management Program, submitted the winning entry. Among the many creative and thoughtful suggestions were: Ampiguity, Morris Hamm, Horace Pigg, Pourquoi, Pigmalion, Sophie (Greek for wisdom), Sacha (Greek for protector of humanity), Peabody (for Horace Mann's wife) and Auntie Hog. How that futuristic Ms. Coco found her way to Antioch is a tale that touches a lot of hearts. Our stylish swine is one of 170 standing and sitting pigs adorned by Northwest artists for a 2001 community fund-raiser called Pigs on Parade. That summer, the 170 pigs brightened the sidewalks of downtown Seattle. There were pig billboards, pig banners, even a Metro bus painted with a pig. Seattle was hog heaven. Produced by the Pike Place Market Foundation to raise funds for services for low-income downtown Seattle residents, Pigs on Parade was modeled after a public art project that involved decorated fiberglass cows in Zurich, Switzerland. There was indeed a festive pig parade followed by a big pig auction in October 2001 that drew 700 bidders on the 170 talked-about swinish lovelies and netted more than $450,000. Mel Jackson, Antioch's dean of university relations at the time, was among the auction-goers. He hoped to snare a pig statue for Antioch and, in the process, support agencies and programs that serve nearly 10,000 low-income and elderly residents in downtown Seattle. A well-known homeless advocate and former executive director of the Millionair Club Charity, Dean Jackson could see the advantages of Antioch's participation in this project and how well it resonated with Antioch's core philosophy. When he tendered the winning bid for Pig of the Future, with its cheerful medley of glass and mirrors, Dean Jackson was proud to have purchased a piece of art that reflected Antioch so well, both literally and figuratively. The majority of the pigs found new homes in private settings. Antioch's Ms. Coco is one of the few that continues to be public art. In the 11 months Jackson served as dean of university relations at Antioch University Seattle, he became known for never doing things in a small way, according to former Antioch Seattle President, now Antioch University Chancellor, Toni Murdock. Everybody at Antioch has an amusing anecdote about Dean Jackson, an uncompromising fundraiser who always believed there was a "maybe" lurking in the word "no." An award crediting him with being "The Biggest Beggar" won a prominent spot on his desk. Michele Norris, Antioch's former director of development, said Jackson frequently did a little money dance when he secured significant donations for the university. "Mel had the best balance of what's important in life. He had a great sense of humor and he never stressed out," she described. Dean Jackson loved the Antioch motto, "Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity." It's a quote from abolitionist and progressive educator Horace Mann, Antioch's first president, and continues to have relevance more than 155 years later. "If Mel had his way, we would have had that statement painted in huge letters all around the outside of the building," Murdock said. "He had to settle for the motto being placed at our entryway along with the Pig of the Future, now known as Ms. Coco." Mel Jackson died unexpectedly on June 21, 2002, of complications related to colon-cancer surgery. He was 59. Ms. Coco stands as testimony to Mel Jackson, a man rich with compassion and a dedication to diversity, social justice and his community. Want to know more about University Relations at AUS? Click here to read about Mary Lou LaPierre, Mel Jackson’s successor as dean. To learn more about Horace Mann’s legacy, click here. For a closer look at Antioch's core values, click here. |
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Even if it's a rainy day in Seattle, have your sunglasses handy when you walk in the front door of Antioch University. Just inside the lobby to greet you is a giant 4½-foot fiberglass pig covered with colored glass and mirrors that shine like faceted jewels.