Meet Sting

Get to Know CIA Mascot

We sat down for an exclusive interview with Sting to learn first-hand how this global citizen came to 鈥渂ee鈥 CIA鈥檚 new mascot. Sting鈥檚 primary duties are to bring energy and enthusiasm to campus events and to keep our fans sharp as they cheer on our CIA Steels athletes at games. The Steels we know and love are here to stay and we鈥檙e happy to have Sting on our team. Go Steels!

Where are you from?

My ancestors were originally from Asia and came to America via Europe. So I鈥檓 truly a citizen of the world鈥攂ut my main hive is at CIA. I was born on September 8 during National Honey Month! It was so cool that the Applied Food Studies students built us an apiary right here on the New York campus!

My family and I really rack up the frequent flyer miles too, 鈥檆ause we call all of CIA campuses home. I鈥檓 not a big fan of the cold, so it鈥檚 great to have winter escapes on the West Coast and in Texas. We adore the gardens at Greystone and 海角乱伦社区. It鈥檚 great to hang with our fellow abejas at the Pearl complex in San Antonio. And a few weeks of R&R at CIA Singapore really connects us to our Asian roots.

We bees have been around awhile. We鈥檝e been producing honey on this planet for some 130 million years! While my family hasn鈥檛 been at CIA that long, I鈥檝e heard plenty of stories about my relatives buzzing around A Dorm and the Escoffier Restaurant. At colony reunions, we still quote Chef Clark: 鈥淐lean dry board, clean dry fish.鈥 That鈥檚 always a hive pleaser!

What brought you to CIA?

Personally, I can鈥檛 get enough of the smell. Rosemary and thyme are my favorites鈥攖he aromas, not the residence halls!

I also love that the college is so committed to sustainability and healthy eating, just like me. We鈥檙e working together on that. There鈥檚 a special kinship here between faculty, staff, students, and even the honeybees. We definitely share the same mission鈥攖o make the world a healthier, more delicious place!

How did you get your name?

I can鈥檛 tell you how many people ask me, 鈥淒idn鈥檛 you used to be the lead singer for The Police?鈥 I mean, I get it; we鈥檝e both got plenty of charisma and charm. But no, I鈥檓 more into flowers than rock.

I got my name because it reflects my tough, competitive side鈥攌inda like some chefs. You need that rep when your species has 鈥渉oney鈥 in the name! I鈥檓 a complex bee鈥擨 can be tough and will do anything to defend my hive (and the CIA), but I鈥檓 typically warm and friendly. Legend has it that I was actually named by Chef Thomas Keller.

What is your favorite food?

I鈥檓 a big nectar and pollen fan. I鈥檝e learned from students pumping iron at the Student Rec Center that protein is important. Pollen is my go-to protein. Ya know, they call pollen 鈥渂ee bread.鈥 I鈥檓 still waiting on a gluten-free option here, Chef Coppedge!

What鈥檚 it like living in a hive?

So much fun! We鈥檙e all pretty tight and always helping each other. It鈥檚 a very strong network of workers, much like of the dorms鈥攐r the CIA alumni network. We鈥檙e buzzing around and working together to make the hive thrive, and grads from CIA do the same with their fellow alums in the industry. It鈥檚 awesome being a part of something that big and that supportive!

Aren鈥檛 you pretty much the same as wasps and hornets?

Oh, heck no! First of all, we鈥檙e much better-looking. Honeybees build better homes too. I鈥檇 much rather have a honeycombed hive to call my crib than a papery nest. But I don鈥檛 want to sound too down on my fellow buzzers. They鈥檙e very important to pest control, and wasps even do some pollination of their own. But when it comes to the food and ecosystems of our world, you can鈥檛 beat a honeybee!

Speaking of which, what do you want CIA community to know about you and your goals?

Not to brag, but did you know that my fellow honeybees and I pollinate one-third of the food you eat and are essential to the health and prosperity of countless ecosystems? We are pretty proud of that!

I鈥檓 committed to making this campus the absolute best it can…鈥渂ee.鈥 CIA and honeybee communities are really one and the same. Okay, maybe not exactly. I need to travel a bit farther to do my job鈥攎ore than 55,000 air miles for a pound of honey鈥攁nd, well, I don鈥檛 wear pants. But we both are hard workers, great teammates, loyal to our colleagues and friends, and dedicated to making the food world a better place.

Because of CIA and me, the world is a lot sweeter and tastier!

Illustration of a cartoon bee wearing a green outfit with "CIA" written on the chest, set against a green background. The text above reads "Proud2beeCIA - STING." The bee has a determined expression, with clenched fists and is in a dynamic pose.
A bee mascot with black and yellow stripes, large black eyes, and a pair of green antennae, wearing a green shirt with a wheat logo. The mascot holds an oversized silver fork, standing on a light grey background.
A person in a yellow and green striped bee mascot costume with antennae, wings, and black eyes stands on a grey background. The mascot is pointing forward with one hand and holding a basketball with the other. The costume has "CIA" and a flame logo on the chest.
A smiling yellow and green bee mascot with antennae is posing confidently against a plain background. The bee is wearing a dark green outfit with yellow stripes on the body and has "CIA" written on its chest, one arm flexed and the other pointing outward.

Chat With a Student

Are you curious about what it鈥檚 really like to attend CIA? We鈥檝e got you covered. Our students are ready to answer the questions you haven鈥檛 asked anyone else, share their own personal experiences, and give you genuine advice鈥攂ecause they鈥檝e gone through it, too.

The Culinary Institute of America

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