Have you met Esperanza, the unofficial mascot of CSU Spur?

The 9-foot kitten statue in the lobby of the Vida building is more than an adorable face, it’s also an educational tool! If you walk up to Esperanza’s face, it will purr or meow, but if you walk up behind Esperanza, it will hiss or growl to communicate that it isn’t the best way to greet an animal. Cool, huh?

Esperanza (which means “hope” in Spanish) was named by the Tepeyac Community Health Center, neighbors to CSU Spur in the Globeville neighborhood and winners of the CSU Spur kitten naming contest.