Tony Angell writes, "Seattle University's mascot is named Redhawk. I've based my design on the red-tailed hawk, a species common to the Pacific Northwest. Depicting the subject in a monument scale provided an opportunity to emphasize the subject's attractive and elegant design and powerful presence. It is positioned in a manner to convey the feeling that the bird is pushing off an elevated perch into its wild world. The title, Aspiration, is intended as a metaphor as there are parallels with the experience each University student possesses when pursuing a higher education with hope and determination."


Darryl Wheye, curating this page, added the following science lens:
"The red-tailed hawk, with its 20-40 mph flight speed and 200 pounds per square inch (psi) grip strength (100 times greater than ours), is an ideal exemplar of grace and power."