Testudo wasn't the victim of a crime. He'll be back soon. Matthew Creger/The Diamondback
Just about everyone who’s in the know is concerned for the well-being of Testudo in front of McKeldin library. Seeing him wrapped in a tarp and caution tape just doesn’t feel quite right. But as reported in The Diamondback this morning, Testudo will be OK — his foundation is being repaired. Hopefully is makes you realize how lucky you are to have such a lovable mascot.
For example, St. John’s University hasn’t even had a mascot during the last 10 years. According to the New York Daily News, a panel of students and administrators met last fall and worked to come up with one and asked students to vote on their best ideas. On Sept. 18, they revealed their new figurehead: The Red Storm Thunderbird.
This bird will be storming the sidelines at St. John's University. Courtesy of SJU athletics.
Students and fans will now be asked to vote on a name for their winged warrior from a fabulous selection: Bolt, Spirit, Surge, Stormy or Johnny. The other options in the original poll were the Red Storm Bear, the Thunder Horse, the Red Storm Dog and the Storm Hero, a comic-book-type character.
Well someone must have told Tulsa University the superhero was vacant, because Tulsa World is reporting TU has given their hurricane mascot a makeover. Enter Captain ‘Cane, the first human incarnation of the hurricane that’s been TU’s mascot since 1977. Their old mascot, an awkwardly shaped hurricane, was voted second-worst mascot in the nation by Foxsports.com, only better than Stanford University’s tree.
Finally, we should recognize some mascots might not be official, but still dear to us nonetheless. This is the case when it comes to a new tenant at Concordia University. Although the university’s mascot is the Cougar, as you can see from this local news broadcast, they’ve adopted a more fitting mascot: A chicken.
The power of live TV journalism … aren’t you glad we have Testudo now?
Quick Hits
- In actual news, The (Baltimore) Sun is reporting the state is again the richest in the nation, as measured by median home value, median income and several other factors reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. Ironically, the state is also anxiously awaiting poverty figures which will be released next week, as Maryland is usually among the states with the highest poverty rates. Does that make sense to you?
- The university system announced Brit Kirwan, the system chancellor, has won a Carnegie Academic Leadership award for his commitment to undergraduate education excellence. The award carries with it a grant of $500,000 to be used for discretionary academic purposes. That should fill the multi-million dollar budget gap.
- Yesterday, 24 academics became recipients of MacArthur grants, a $500,000 award for being a genius — literally. The New York Times listed the recipients, but noticeably absent among the winners was a representative of this university. Professors at the University of Maryland have won grants multiple times in recent years.
Today at Maryland
- Journalist Abayomi Azikiwe will be giving a lecture on the global economic crisis and its effect on African diaspora at 7 p.m. in the Nyumburu Center in the multipurpose room.
- Student group Invisible Children at College Park is screening a movie, The Rescue!, at the Hoff Theater at 7 p.m. The group aims to raise awareness of children of war victims in Uganda. If for no other reason, you should also go to catch a movie in the Hoff this semester before it shuts down.