Alec, the Cockrell School of Engineering's patron saint, was born of an undergraduate prank.
On April Fool's eve, 1908, a group of mischief-seeking sophomores "borrowed" a small wooden statue from a local tavern. The statue - a jovial beer-quaffing Dutchman - was carted off to campus, where student leaders dubbed him Alexander Frederick Claire, patron saint of UT Engineers.
Over nearly 100 years, Alec has had his share of adventures; he's suffered kidnappings, amputations, even an arrest, followed by a pardon from Texas Governor James Ferguson. He's been repaired, de-commissioned, revived, replicated. And he has endured.
Those early youthful pranksters eventually graduated to distinguished engineering careers. Alec remained at the college, where he resides today, a timeless, lighthearted symbol of innovation and perseverance.
