Q. What symbol of success does the Torchbearer statue hold in its left hand?
A. In the Torchbearer’s left hand you will see a statue of the Goddess of Winged Victory, the symbol of success. The design was later modified to include the globe upon which Winged Victory rests to suggest that victory over the challenges of the world — whether in times of war and peace — lay in the individual’s own hands.
You can read more about the Torchbearer statue and other UT traditions here on the “Traditions at UT” website.