The Wellesley mascot is known as the "Blue." The name comes from the official color of Wellesley College, which is royal blue. The Blue mascot represents the spirit and pride of the college community. The Blue can be seen at various events and sports games, cheering on the Wellesley teams and representing the school. The mascot is often seen wearing a blue costume, with a large "W" on the chest. The Blue mascot is a symbol of unity and strength for Wellesley College.

Wellesley mascot

While the College has never had a mascot, our resident ravens—affectionately dubbed Pauline and Henry—may be making themselves our de facto signature animals.

First surprising observers with their appearance in the autumn of 2013, the two black birds took up residence in the cliff-like sides of the Science Center’s sunny south-facing side in the spring of 2014. The common raven is not so common in thickly populated areas, especially in the Northeast. They are territorial and tend to spread their domain over mountainous open spaces.

But last year the pair, whom the community named for the College’s founding couple, found Wellesley’s campus to be a home to their liking. They made a large nest of sticks and grass and settled in to incubate two eggs. From their high nesting place, they could cover a diverse and nutrient-rich landscape of meadows, forests, lake, and streams. Ravens will hunt small animals for prey and, being omnivores, don’t snub carrion on the roadside or dainty morsels from a dumpster. In 2014, one of their eggs hatched and the community and wider world were able to watch via streaming web cam as it grew from a wobbly, wrinkly thing to an insistent eating machine to a bold replica of its parents. The nestling ultimately flew the nest right at Commencement last spring.

Biological sciences and Spanish major Lauren Johnson ’16 and Professor of Biological Sciences Nicholas Rodenhouse published a summary of the birds’ activities at Wellesley in the journal Bird Observer. Vicki Ngan ’18 is assisting in the ongoing analysis of the recordings.

Once the young have fully fledged, the family leaves the nest, but ravens have been spotted through the summer, fall, and winter on campus. It was widely hoped they would return to raise another family, and now they are back!

First appearing to want to make a new nest further down the façade of the Science Center in early March, the ravens were frightened off by people approaching them. After a brief absence, they returned to their nest site of last year. Researchers led by Rodenhouse have been carefully monitoring the birds in order to focus the live streaming camera on the nest again without disturbing them. The video stream will be recorded as it was last year, adding valuable data for research. An unusual aspect of Wellesley’s “birdcam” is that the ravens built their nest near an existing exterior light, allowing us to see them even at night.

They now are incubating three eggs. The typical clutch size for mature common ravens is five eggs, with one frequently being a “dud.” This pair, which we assume to be the same as last year’s, appears to be young given the smaller clutch size and their having ventured out of traditional territory.

The nest location is essentially inaccessible and the ravens don’t care for visitors. But we invite you to visit Wellesley’s window onto their world at any time!

Learn more about ravens and watch the progress of Pauline and Henry’s brood on the Ravencam.

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About Me

If I tend to be an overachiever, it's because I care deeply about everything I do. I'm the one who always does the reading and gets to class on time. Some might call me a nerd. That's cool. I'm not afraid of my nerdy side.

When it comes to strong suits, I've got a closet full of 'em. I go for the hard subjects—political science, economics, psychology, neuroscience, and English lit—and excel at them all. I'm also a politically-active powerhouse who's not afraid to roll up her sleeves for the greater good.

I'm proud to be a top-tier women's college. I used to be a little self-conscious about the fact that it's a ladies-only study party around here, but honestly? I got over that a long time ago. People can say what they want about me. I'm a smart, confident leader who's too busy training the next female secretary of state to listen to the haters.

Name

Wellesley Blue. Yeah, it's not a traditional mascot, but who can breathe in one of those oversized animal suits anyway? And the Wellesley Blue has been undefeated in football since 1875. As if blue wasn't enough, every class has their own color, too—either red, yellow, green, or purple. No, I'm not Hogwarts. Why does everyone keep asking that?

Hometown

Wellesley, MA, is a fairly quiet commuter town about forty minutes to an hour outside of Boston, depending on whether you take an Uber, the commuter rail, or the college-run shuttle bus. The town center boasts a few coffee shops, two pizza places (one gourmet, one old-school), and a disconcerting number of barber shops and beauty salons.

Birthdate

Body Type

I may be small, but I'm never afraid to speak up—which is handy, because with just 2,344 undergraduates, even intro classes feel like seminars.

Professors really do want you to come to office hours, and, at some point, you'll find yourself humming along to your Astro professor's musical explanation of the solar system or blundering your way through a Siberian folk song with the Russian Area Studies faculty. I like how close-knit my community can be at this size.

Current Living Situation

Not gonna lie: I may not be Hogwarts, but I sure look like it. No, really. I've got secret passageways, tropical greenhouses, and my own lake—though I'm pretty sure there's no giant squid living in it. Not positive. But pretty sure.

Students are guaranteed college housing all four years, and though some people rent apartments in the Ville or even Cambridge, most choose to stay on campus. The housing lottery usually awards singles to seniors and juniors, while first years and sophomores share with a roommate or two.

The neo-Gothic buildings on West Campus may be more sought-after than the 1970s-mod dorms of East Campus, but East Siders know that showers with quality water pressure are not to be sneezed at.

I've also got plenty of alternative housing. Si habla español, or si vouz parlez français, you can apply to live in Casa Cervantes or Maison Française, respectively. Other alternative living spaces on campus include SCOOP, a sustainable living cooperative where students cook their own meals, and the feminist co-op Instead. Yes, Instead is actually it's name.

Relationship Status

My family ties with the Seven Sisters go back to my founding, and though I'd never say I'm Smith's twin, I'll admit we were founded in the same year.

I've got some beef with Harvard, thanks to a practical joke that happened a long time ago. One of my college songs, "The Ballad of the Bold, Bad Man," tells the tale of a Harvard undergrad who disrupted a Wellesley hoop-rolling race in days of yore. What a jerk.

I haven't forgotten that day, but I don't hold one man's actions against the current Harvard student body. I occasionally hang out with Harvard students—on weekends, the Senate Bus even stops outside Harvard Yard. Every so often, I attend parties and mixers at MIT, Brandeis, Olin, and Babson, too.

When it comes to academics, the Wellesley-MIT exchange makes it easy to cross-register for classes or find a work-study job in an MIT lab, and we have similar cross-registration agreements with Babson, Olin, and Brandeis.

Politics

I like to think I'm the place where Hillary Clinton went from Young Republican to Democrat. I'm definitely left-leaning, and pretty much all of my students are feminists. I've got a very visible queer community and more than my fair share of non-binary students and transgender women. My politics are about inclusive and respectful conversations.

You should apply to me if.

you want challenging academics and a welcoming community—whether your dream is to start your own company or to write your first novel.

The Blue mascot is a symbol of unity and strength for Wellesley College. It embodies the values and traditions of the college, and serves as a source of inspiration for students, faculty, and alumni. The Blue mascot is also a representation of the college's commitment to academic excellence and athletic achievement.

It represents the dedication and hard work of the Wellesley athletes, who strive to excel in their chosen sports. Overall, the Wellesley mascot, the Blue, is an important symbol of pride and community for the college. It represents the values and spirit of Wellesley College, and serves as a source of inspiration for all members of the college community..

Reviews for "The story behind the Wellesley College mascot costume"

1. Sarah - 1/5 - I was extremely disappointed with the choice of the Wellesley mascot. As an alumni, I expected something strong and empowering, but the fluffy bunny they chose is far from inspiring. It feels childish and doesn't represent the strength and intelligence of the Wellesley community. I hope they reconsider and choose a more fitting mascot in the future.

2. Mark - 2/5 - The Wellesley mascot is a complete letdown. When I think of a mascot, I envision something fierce and captivating. But a flower? Really? It's hard to take a school seriously when their mascot is a simple flower. It lacks any sort of energy or enthusiasm. I think they missed the mark with this choice.

3. Emily - 1/5 - The Wellesley mascot is one of the most underwhelming mascots I have ever seen. A duck? Seriously? It's hard to feel pride when our mascot is something so common and unexciting. I wish they had chosen something more unique and representative of the spirit of Wellesley. This choice feels like a missed opportunity.

4. Brian - 2/5 - I was hoping for something strong and fierce as the Wellesley mascot. Instead, we got a timid squirrel. It's hard to feel any sense of pride or school spirit when our mascot is a small, skittish animal. I think they could have chosen something much more inspiring and emblematic of the school's values.

5. Jessica - 1/5 - The Wellesley mascot is a complete letdown. A puppy? Are you kidding me? It's hard to take a school seriously when their mascot is something so cute and cuddly. I expected a powerful and strong representation of the school's identity, but a puppy just falls flat. I hope they reconsider and choose a more fitting mascot in the future.

Wellesley College mascot: a symbol of women's empowerment