Coming soon, a new look for the Boxer mascot
The Boxer mascot is having an identity crisis—and Pacific University Student Senate (USS) is looking to settle that. With a surplus of post-pandemic funds, USS is in an enviable position to tackle a few larger project, and one of those is the school’s mascot, which, at this point, is holding on by a thread.
The dragon-like mascot got its start in 1896 when an alumni, Rev. J.E. Walker, purchased a bronze statue while on a mission in China. Most likely a “qilin” (pronounced chee-lin or ki-rin), the Boxer is a mythical Chinese creature from the long-standing Qing Dynasty; it is a greatest hits of animals, a lion-like stance, a unicorn-like horn, and deer or ox hooves, all tied together as a good luck charm. In the late 19th century, when Rev. Walker visited China, the Qing Dynasty was in its final years of a 300-hundred-year reign. According to reports, he gave the statue to his mother, who, in turn, re-gifted it to the school.
For decades, though, the Boxer was only the university’s unofficial mascot, more a spiritual charm for students and officially eclipsed by Benny the Badger, a long-snouted black-and-white creature that frequented the school’s sporting events. In 1968, though, in the rebellious spirit of the era, students voted Benny out and the Boxer in. (The Benny the Badger mascot costume is displayed in the Old College Hall museum on campus.)
But year later, that original Boxer statue—a knee-high bronze icon brought from China—vanished. Not until the 1980s did alumni commission a new statue—which also, shortly thereafter, vanished. Boxer III was commissioned and arrived on campus in 2018.
As well, the Boxer has been represented as a costumed mascot; there at athletic games, alumni functions and graduation. The Boxer right now is a light brown color, and the face does not resemble the traditional Boxer—the qilin; the lion, unicorn, deer combo. Specifically, the current design is 15 years old—and, USS says it is high time for a make-over.
“The mascot costume doesn’t match the university statue,” explained USS Vice President, Kara Yoshiyama. “It looks like an actual boxer and is wearing boxer gloves and shorts, but that’s not really culturally significant.”
Yoshiyama is working on the new mascot project, and is in the research stage of the Boxer’s history. Since the Boxer is infused with rich history, being culturally appropriate when considering new designs from the mascot is essential.
Keeping the Boxer tradition in mind, Yoshiyama is in charge of finding a design team and getting the Pacific community’s opinion on the new mascot look and style. Pacific University is known for being a tight-knit community, and the student senate values input on keeping the school traditions alive and accurate.
Steve Klien, Student Activities Director, is also on the team recreating the Boxer costume. He hopes for new excitement around the mascot and wants it to be utilized more within events on campus. You can often see the Boxer mascot at sporting events helping cheer on the home team to victory or shaking incoming students’ hands at the admissions office. The new Boxer mascot is intended to become even better known, and to present a crackle of excitement.
“We are hoping the Boxer can be at more events if it looks more appealing and it will increase school spirit,” described Yoshiyama. “At bigger schools, the mascot goes to everything, and I want it to be like that, where everyone knows our Boxer mascot.”
So far, most discussions surrounding the new design have focused on the desire to move away from the cartoon appearance while simultaneously not scaring children away. What is decided already is that the current orange-brown color of the mascot will replaced by a darker charcoal shade. Additionally, there has been a focus on making the mascot’s head more authentic to the real Boxer. The head is perhaps the trickiest part, because of the intricate detail and the desire to make it interact with its audience. Moreover, logistics are at play when ordering the new costume to ensure volunteers can universally and efficiently use the mascot. The plan is for the Boxer costume to be bigger than what it is now and get airflow to the person inside. Volunteers have reported that the current costume is extremely hot and a bit suffocating. Also, the costume must be masterfully crafted to withstand at least ten years.
Ultimately, the student senate believes they can purchase the new and enhanced mascot costume with a budget of $15,000 provided by the student fees, but there is no room for poor purchases.
The new mascot’s creator has not yet been chosen, and it is unknown whether the student senate will make use of the entire amount. In the past, Sugars Mascot Costumes, a company well-known for creating many larger schools’ mascots, supplied Pacific University with the costume. The Boxer is no wildcat, bearcat, pirate, or logger, though; we are one of kind.
“We are the only Boxers in the country for a college mascot,” expressed Klein. “It’s not an easy piece to replicate into a costume because it is so different.” — Emily Rutkowski
Major: Journalism
Hometown: Mesa, Arizona
Hobbies: soccer, track, being outside, hiking, writing
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