Oswego College Mascot The Oswego College Mascot is known as the "Laker." The Laker represents pride, spirit, and community at SUNY Oswego. It serves as a symbol of unity and brings excitement to the campus and athletic events. The Laker mascot is a friendly and energetic character that can be seen at various campus events, including football and basketball games, pep rallies, and other gatherings. The mascot's main role is to engage with the crowd and create a fun and lively atmosphere. The Laker is often seen wearing a blue and gold costume, which are the official colors of the college.
Will the real Laker mascot please stand up?
The days of having Ozwald the Laker or Oz the Snowbeast leading the chants at athletic events could soon be dawning upon Oswego State.
The Lakers’ search for a mascot has taken another step, albeit a baby step, toward reality, with forums held this week for both faculty and students to express their desires, suggestions and concerns as to what should properly represent the college community.
Mascot ideas ranging from abominable snowbeasts, bears, sea monsters, and even a walking lighthouse character were revealed at the forums. Over a dozen sketches of what the future face of the Lakers could look like were displayed, with more on the way.
"It’s something that is going to fulfill all the roles that everyone wants," said senior Greg Aiello, who, along with fellow senior business administration major Latasha Archer, had started the hunt for an official college mascot. "That’s the most ideal thing that we want."
Aiello, who spearheaded the mascot search in 2008, has been working jointly with Dean of Students James Scharfenberger and the Oswego State Athletic Department to help find an ideal mascot to represent not only the students, but the faculty and the surrounding Oswego community.
"It helps bring recognition to the school," Archer said. "A mascot would help with new students at orientation and international students.
While reaction to some of the designs presented revealed mixed feelings, the crowd remained mostly enthusiastic about the potential of adding a face to the Lakers.
"Mainly they got the point out that we want a mascot to represent the school, and it’s going in the right direction," junior public justice major Marcus Peworchik said. "Being here and seeing how many different ways it can be used through all the sports and all the seasons; it’s a good idea."
"I think we got a good start to spreading new ideas," junior wellness management major Traci Bacon, a women’s basketball player said. "I feel that discussing it really opened new ideas to a new mindset toward it, that it can be child friendly as well as athletically aggressive."
Oswego State has been without a mascot since at least 1986, when the unofficially recognized Oswe-Gull disappeared off campus. The only recognized mascot to ever grace the Lakers was Pucky the Penguin. A scaled-down version that vaguely resembles a penguin is still used in some campus publications, but if a new mascot is named it would be Oswego State’s first official mascot in over two decades.
There remains a fair share of challenges before the plans for a mascot really start getting off the ground, the biggest obstacle at hand is finding out exactly what a "Laker" is to the college community, Aiello said. The Facebook group he created, titled "Mission: Get a Mascot for Oswego, " has seen numerous ideas from students, but not many indicating that students are on the same track. Other ideas presented during the forums included otters, snowmen, and ship captains.
According to Athletic Director Tim Hale, while progress has certainly been made since the initial undertaking, Oswego State may be better served to take a slow and safe approach to picking an official school mascot.
"In essence, we are talking about branding our college and that has repercussions in many different ways, many that we have not even thought of," Hale said in an e-mail. "An effective mascot program will require a significant amount of financial support and number of people involved to make it work, again something that needs to be discussed as we go along."
According to Scharfenberger, one of the most important requirements for any Laker mascot will be ethnic, gender and culture neutrality, meaning that any potential candidate must not discriminate against any particular demographic. This could potentially already rule out any type of character that resembles a human given that it wouldn’t be possible to make it one gender without discriminating against the other.
Despite the numerous hurdles that still need to be taken, aspirations to get a mascot in the stands by the end of the year aren’t hitting the locker room anytime soon.
"We are doing this because 150 years have passed and this place does not have a mascot quite yet." Aiello said. "And we are looking to bring it home."
ESF’s Oakie the Acorn Enters SUNY’s Mascot Madness
SYRACUSE - Oakie the Acorn, the mascot of ESF's Mighty Oaks athletic teams, is one of 39 SUNY mascots competing in SUNY's Fourth Annual Mascot Madness beginning today.
All mascots were randomly placed into four SUNY regions and ranked by the number of athletic teams each mascot represents, which determined which mascots compete against each other in each round.
Votes can be cast at http://blog.suny.edu/2016/03/mascot-madness-2016-round-1/
Thirty-nine SUNY campuses representing more than 650 athletic teams and more than 360,000 students are competing for the title of New York's favorite SUNY mascot.
ESF's Oakie is up against Orange County Community College and SUNY Oswego when voting begins March 9.
The competition includes five rounds of voting and runs through March 30. The winning college will take home the traveling Mascot Madness trophy from SUNY.
Last year, Oakie defeated mascots from SUNY Delhi and Ulster Community College to advance to Round 2. However, Oakie fell to New Paltz's Hugo the Hawk in the second round of competition for the second year in a row.
The competition is based on a series of questions posed to the mascots prior to the tournament, including mascots' prior work experience, most embarrassing moment, favorite part of New York state, favorite TV show and favorite class.
Seed rankings are based on the number of teams that represent a particular campus, with enrollment data used to break any ties. Oakie currently represents nine men's and women's teams in ESF's growing athletics program.
The intercollegiate athletics program at ESF can trace its roots all the way back to 1912, the second year of the college's existence, when students organized a Forestry Club on campus that has sponsored an intercollegiate timber sports team every year since.
Today, students can compete on in soccer, golf, cross country, timber sports (Woodsmen's Team), basketball and track. The Mighty Oaks are a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association.
You can follow Oakie on Twitter at @ESFOakie and on Facebook at Oakie Acorn.
The 10 Strangest College Mascots
What makes a college mascot great? Is it an original identity, or the power of a fancy costume? For some universities, notoriety may come from the bizarreness of the mascot itself. Even if your school has a mascot that may be cringe-worthy, at the end of the day, conveying your school pride is the most important thing. So next time you’re at your college’s athletic or spirited event, give a high-five to your school’s mascot. And if you feel like your school’s mascot is too plain, here’s a list of ten schools with pretty kooky yet memorable mascots.
1. UC Santa Cruz: Sammy the Banana Slug
You wouldn’t imagine a banana slug would produce a feeling of fear in an opponent’s mind, now would you? For UC Santa Cruz students, though, their beloved mascot evokes campus pride. After the university changed the mascot to the sea lion in the 1980s, students continued to rally behind their original beloved yellow slimy mascot. In 1986, students were able to persuade the school’s chancellor to return Sammy back to his rightful throne on campus.
2. Oglethorpe University: Petey the Stormy Petrel
Watch out Sammy the Banana Slug—on Oglethorpe’s official website, banana slugs are mentioned as the mascot’s favorite food! The university’s mascot is a stormy petrel, a seabird, and holds a very symbolic meaning—the school’s motto was inspired from this feathery creature. This isn’t Petey’s only claim to fame—the mascot was also on Animal Planet’s Mascot Madness television show in 2007.
3. Webster University: the Gorlok
Who ever knew that a mascot could be spawned from the intersection of two streets? Webster University’s mascot is a made-up creature whose name was formed from the combination of two streets, Gore and Lockwood, at the university. The mascot, which has elements of a cheetah, Saint Bernard and buffalo, was created in 1984 by students and staff through a school contest. The Gorlok’s number-one strength may be its ability to confuse the opposition with its lack of identification.
4. University of Arkansas at Monticello: the Boll Weevils
UAM possibly has one of the most intriguing mascots for a college or university. The Boll Weevil is a small insect that has a historical background. Chosen in 1909, this insect was a killer to cotton crops prevalent in the South at the time. Today, the pest is probably not so much of a threat, but the university continues to rep it for their athletic teams. The women’s teams use the nickname “Cotton Blossoms” instead, though.
5. St. Louis University: the Billikens
Never has an elf-like creature looked so cool since Harry Potter’s Doby. SLU’s billiken was born from the paintbrush and artwork of Kansas City art teacher and illustrator Florence Pretz in 1908, but she isn’t the figure famous for instituting the mascot for the university. SLU law student John Bender was the school’s football coach at the time, and legend has it that local drug store owner Billy Gunn called him a “Billiken.” William O’Connor, a legendary sportswriter, just happened to be at the right place at the right time—he overheard the comment and used the term for the university’s athletics. The Billiken has pixie-like ears and a small tuft of hair on the top of its head, but despite its strange appearance, it’s seen as a good luck charm. Maybe the SLU athletic record book is the judge of that lucky charm?
6. University of Alaska-Southeast: the Humpback Whales
Described on the school’s website as the “epitome of grace, intelligence and natural beauty,” the humpback whale is no joking matter for the University of Alaska-Southeast. The university hopes to convey a message about the importance of harmonious relationships with wildlife and protection through conservation efforts. With a mascot representing ideas that pure and beautiful, it’s hard to knock this environmentally conscious mascot.
7. Scottsdale Community College: the Fighting Artichokes
This Arizona community college’s mascot was intended to be a source of embarrassment, but later became much more. The college originated in 1969 and during a time of ‘70s unrest, Artie the Artichoke was to signify “a difference of opinion concerning budget priorities,” the school’s website stated. Instead, Artie has found himself as a source of pride for the college and has earned a spot on numerous “strange mascot” lists. Who ever knew that having a healthy mascot could pay off so much?
8. Delta State University: the Fighting Okra
Like Scottsdale Community College, Delta State University channeled the power of food for its mascot. While the university’s official mascot is now the Statesmen, students continue to acknowledge the power and presence of the fighting Okra (a kind of rice) at university and athletic events.
9. Campbell University: the Camels
“You’re a camel, get a hump on you,” was the phrase that seemed to spawn this school’s mascot. According to the university’s website, these words were uttered to Dr. Campbell, the university’s founder and president in the 1930s after the majority of the school’s buildings burned down in a terrible fire. While the university’s original mascot was the “Hornets,” the camels became the permanent mascot in the early 1930s.
10. The Ohio State University: the Buckeyes
Like at Webster University and St. Louis University, Brutus the Buckeye was born out of an art student’s vision, and his name was picked out of a contest. Created in 1965, the Buckeye looked more like something you would find at a bowling alley than football field—the school’s website described the early Brutus as looking like a “bowling ball with legs.” Like any good character, though, a transformation came, and today’s Brutus the Buckeye has a more modern look. The search for the school’s mascot, though, was not this simple. A deer, ram, elk and moose were all early possibilities but lost out. After a rejection of “Chris,” a German police dog, as the school’s mascot in 1941, OSU was officially mascot-less until Brutus was born.
The Laker is often seen wearing a blue and gold costume, which are the official colors of the college. The costume includes a laker hat, a jersey or shirt with the college's logo, and comfortable shoes for easy movement. One of the key responsibilities of the Laker mascot is to interact with fans and students.
The mascot participates in dance-offs, high fives, and photo opportunities. It is known for its energetic dance moves and playful antics, which help to create an enthusiastic atmosphere. The Laker mascot also plays an essential role in fostering school spirit and bringing the college community together. It represents the college's values and traditions and serves as a source of pride for students, alumni, and faculty. Overall, the Oswego College Mascot, the Laker, is an integral part of campus life at SUNY Oswego. It promotes school spirit, unity, and excitement among the college community. Whether it's at athletic events or campus celebrations, the mascot brings a sense of fun and enthusiasm that enhances the overall college experience..
Reviews for "Animating the Spirit: The Role of the Oswego College Mascot in Animated Promotions and Marketing"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with the Oswego college mascot. It looked nothing like a proper representation of our school spirit. The design was outdated and generic, and it lacked any unique features that would make it standout. Overall, it just felt like a poor attempt at creating a memorable mascot.
2. Sarah - 3 stars - As much as I appreciate the effort put into creating a mascot for Oswego college, I have to admit that it didn't live up to my expectations. The costume looked cheaply made and the character itself didn't have a strong personality. It felt more like a last-minute addition rather than a well-thought-out representation of our school.
3. Michael - 1 star - I can't believe Oswego college chose such a lackluster mascot. The design was unoriginal and uninspiring. It didn't capture the essence of our college and failed to generate any excitement or school spirit. I was truly disappointed with this choice and expected more from our institution.
4. Emily - 2 stars - The Oswego college mascot was underwhelming, to say the least. The choice of a generic animal costume didn't differentiate it from other colleges, and it lacked any unique elements that could represent our school's values or culture. It was a missed opportunity to truly showcase our identity and ignite pride among the students.
5. Matthew - 2 stars - The Oswego college mascot was a forgettable choice. It had no impact and didn't create a sense of unity among the students. The design lacked creativity and imagination, leaving me questioning why it was selected in the first place. It was a disappointment for all those hoping for a mascot that would truly embody our college's spirit.