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Chancellor Kristensen Dedicates New Sculpture During Homecoming Ceremony: ‘Now That’s a Loper’

UNK Chancellor Doug e award-winning artist has been featured in Sports Illustrated, Newsweek, Fine Art Collector Magazine and other publications.

Kristensen hosted a dedication ceremony in October for the new pronghorn antelope sculpture on campus.

Prominently displayed in the 26th Street Mall area near the west edge of Randall Hall, e Loper stands 10 feet tall and weighs more than 1,200 pounds. e bronze statue was created by Holdrege native and UNK alumnus Mark Lundeen and cast at Loveland-based Art Castings of Colorado. It was installed in September.

A former Loper football player, Lundeen graduated from UNK in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, then moved to Loveland, Colorado, where he established his studio and began a highly successful career.

His work has been commissioned for placement at professional sports stadiums, the Little League Baseball and McDonald’s headquarters, Denver International Airport and other prominent locations across the country. His sculpture of Apollo 13 astronaut Jack Swigert is in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center as part of the National Statuary Hall Collection.

“ is sculpture will provide an iconic place on our campus for people to gather,” said Kristensen. “It will inspire some, and others will re ect upon their experiences on campus, but for everyone it will serve as a point of Loper pride.”