Fear the Turtle Sculpture Project Sponsorship Opportunity

With great pride in our past achievements and full of great expectations for the future of the State's flagship university, the University of Maryland family has come to embrace "Fear the Turtle" as a reflection of our pride. First conceived as a slogan of athletic success, the phrase has evolved to embrace the spirit of achievement and excellence in every aspect of the university. The University of Maryland is now recognized across the nation as a top research university, drawing power from its diversity of people, ideas and connections, both local and global.

As we gear up for celebration of our 150th anniversary, the Fear the Turtle Sculpture Project is designed to extend the anniversary celebration into the community with art that is accessible to everyone. The artist community of the greater Washington-Baltimore region will reflect our shared pride with one-of-a-kind designs that re-imagine a four-and-a-half foot fiberglass form of our beloved mascot to benefit the university's ongoing scholarship campaign.

Fifty Terrapin sculptures will be displayed for approximately six months throughout the campus and at locations across the state and region to highlight the university's connections beyond the campus. The Terrapin sculptures will be auctioned at a grand celebration in fall 2006.

Sponsorship Information

You can help spread the call of "Fear the Turtle" with a $4,000 sponsorship for an individual sculpture. There's no limit. Sponsor as many Terrapins as you like. The sponsorship supports the cost of production including a $1,000 honorarium for the artist. Sculptures will be auctioned, at the end of their tour, to the highest bidder.

Want to own it now? With a sponsorship of $7,500, you can lock in ownership of the finished Terrapin and have priority consideration given for its display location.

Exposure Benefits & Opportunities

• Sponsors recognized on each sculpture (plaque that recognizes artist and sponsor).
• Sculptures displayed on select locations on campus or throughout region for approximately six months.
• Sponsor recognized on the 2007 Fear the Turtle (FTT) Sculpture calendar (qty. 5000).
• Sponsor's logo and hotlink listed on the FTT Sculpture page as part of the 150th Anniversary site (linked from UM home page).
• Fear the Turtle online virtual gallery from UM homepage with link to sponsorship page (estimated one million monthly page views).
• Sculptures will be unveiled and displayed throughout campus at our Eighth Annual Maryland Day on Saturday, April 29, 2006. Anticipated attendance: 70,000+ visitors.
• Sponsors listed as part of FTT Sculpture section in the fall'06 issue of Terp magazine (circ. 185,000 alum, faculty, staff, VIPs).
• FTT Sculpture virtual gallery will be highlighted (with direct link to page) as part our fall'06 Terp Alumni Network electronic newsletter (sent to 55,000 alumni subscribers).
• Sponsor listed on FTT Sculpture "locator maps."
• Recognized as a 150th Anniversary donor at the Fundraising Kick-off Gala.