Rowdy the Roughrider plays a rousing game of table tennis after being named on Sept. 30. Close to 1900 votes were cast to name the new mascot. ( Jesse O. Walls | Executive Editor of New Media)
James Walls
Campus News Editor
Rowdy the Roughrider, Crowder College’s first mascot since the inception of the school, was named on Sept. 30 at a Board of Trustees meeting on the Neosho campus. The three names people could vote for, which were chosen by faculty and staff during the beginning of the semester, consisted of Rowdy, Teddy and Roscoe. According to Cindy Brown, director of public information, from the nearly 1900 votes tallied on the Crowder College website, Rowdy won by almost 200 votes in all.
Rowdy, who has already made appearances at a few events this semester, is planned to be at many more activities. Not only will he help cheer on the athletic teams at games, but will also promote Crowder College to younger audiences, among other things.
“We’d get a lot of requests from elementary schools saying, ‘bring your mascot, come meet the kids.’ Well, we had no mascot to meet the kids…” said Brown, mentioning how the mascot will now help the college.
According to Brown, the mascot was inspired by Theodore Roosevelt and historical images of the roughriders. Aiming to keep the costume as historically accurate as possible, they also wanted to give it a fun, mascot-like appearance.
Previous to being named, Rowdy appeared at a tour for Carl Junction elementary school students where he was helped by Kristi Chapman, the one stop admissions recruiter. (Jesse O. Walls | Executive Editor of New Media)
For some students, the new addition of the college mascot is an exciting aspect, and may also help Crowder in the years to come.
“I think it’s about time. I mean, how long has this school been around and we haven’t had a mascot,” said Shelly Cordray, general studies major. “I’m excited about it, I really am.”
“I like the idea of it [the mascot]. It will give us more of a symbol of the college,” said Tyler McElwayne, theatre major. “I just think it’s a good idea.”
While the mascot does not yet have a schedule made to track its planned appearances, it is already decided that it will be at the first basketball home game of the season on Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. More events will likely be determined at a later time.
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