Bluffton University’s J. Denny and Jenny Beaver mascots were revealed between the men’s and women’s home basketball games Feb. 15 in Sommer Center. The faces behind the masks were Robert Ruppert, Jarod Siekman, Cara Hamilton and Grace Zachrich.
Robert Ruppert, a senior intervention specialist major and minor in speech-language pathology and audiology, traveled back to Bluffton from student teaching in Chicago to attend the event. He was the only returning mascot from last year and has been in both the J. Denny and Jenny suits at times during the last two years.
Ruppert said he originally was interested to be a mascot because he was also his high school mascot.
“I really liked doing it because it made me feel like I could be somebody different while in the suit and that was just a great experience for me,” Ruppert said.
Ruppert said he believes J. Denny and Jenny Beaver are important to campus. He said they can be great entertainment at campus events but also a way to welcome prospective students when they visit. He said seeing the fans and wide range of reactions from children, college students and parents were some of the best moments for him in the suit.
“My most favorite memory would have to be when I was J. Denny and working a [women’s] soccer game, two young fans were kicking a ball back forth, and they asked me to join,” said Ruppert. “This was a different experience for me because you’d think it would be easy kicking a ball with the big feet, but it was actually quite hard.”
Jarod Siekman, Robert Ruppert, Cara Hamilton and Grace Zachrich. Photo by Sarah Heydinger
Jarod Siekman, a senior mathematics major and AYA education licensure, was simply known as the “tall beaver” until Saturday. He said his interest in being one of the mascots sparked when he came on a visit in high school. When the opportunity arose to become one, he said he had to take it.
“It was an amazing experience to be the beaver, but it was difficult to keep the secret,” Siekman said. “Towards the end, there were a lot of people who kept asking if I was the beaver, and I had to keep denying and coming up with good excuses.”
Siekman said being in the suit showed him how much faculty, students, and alumni enjoy Bluffton by interacting with the beavers and taking pictures with them.
“The thing I enjoyed most about being the beaver was how much community members, alumni and parents loved seeing the beavers at events,” Siekman said. “The alumni especially and it was amazing to interact with so many people who loved J. Denny and Jenny.”
Cara Hamilton, junior early education and intervention specialist major, was one of the four faces behind the mascot. Hamilton used this role as a way to have some fun and connect with new people around campus. She said the hardest part about being the beaver was keeping it a secret because she is also part of Marbeck Center Board, which hosts many of the campus events for students.
“For finals breakfast I had to lie to all of my other MCB members because they wanted me to work the event but I also wanted to be in suit for the event,” Hamilton said. “I ended up telling Kevin White, director of MCB and the University Event Complex which I work for, and he helped me keep my secret by diverting people’s ideas on who the beaver was, and allowing me to skip events when needed.”
Hamilton said her favorite part about being the beaver was being able to interact with children at all of the events. One of her most memorable experiences was at a football game.
“One of the coaches’ daughters, she seemed to be around 2 years old, came up to the beavers and absolutely loved us,” Hamilton said. “Her face seemed to glow of excitement, and she was adorable.”
Hamilton said the help with a developmental milestone for some children.
“A lot of children are scared of mascots, and I believe it’s important in trying to have children be more experienced or comfortable interacting with a mascot,” Hamilton said. “When we come across those children who actually love us, that’s when I knew it was worth it.”
The last and youngest beaver of the group was Grace Zachrich. Zachrich is a sophomore majoring in elementary education and intervention specialist.
“I always thought that it would be really fun to be a mascot,” Zachrich said. “I didn’t have a mascot in high school so being a beaver was my first chance.”
Zachrich said this opportunity was an amazing experience, the only part that wasn’t so fun was keeping the secret from her friends. She said having the beavers is important because they add enthusiasm and entertainment to campus events and activities.
Applications to be J. Denny or Jenny Beaver for 2020-21 will be accepted through Thursday, Feb. 20 at https://www.bluffton.edu/about/jdenny/mascot-application.aspx. After filling out an application, contestants will be required to interview with the newly revealed beavers and have an in-suit audition.
