The campus-wide naming contest held by the Division of Student Affairs for Kenyon’s new mascot has concluded, and the purple-feathered figure is closer than ever to claiming an identity of its own, which will be revealed at a ceremony later this semester. 

The mascot first appeared during senior week in spring 2025 and wasted no time becoming a part of Kenyon’s culture. This semester, students have responded with enthusiasm, snapping selfies and asking for high-fives. Additionally, its presence around campus has expanded, popping up at athletic games and new-student move-in, and students can even book their own owl appearances. “It has really made the experience better,” Elisa Lybarger ’29 said. “I’m happy whenever I see the owl.” The anonymous avian has quickly become a unifying presence on Middle Path for students and faculty alike. 

In an interview with the Collegian, Associate Provost Travis Landry said, “We want the students to think about how the owl brought up happiness and joy and fun to a part of the little piece of their time here at Kenyon.” 

The naming contest consisted of five names narrowed down from hundreds of student submissions: Koko, Flylander Chase, Moxie, Professor O and KC.

“I picked Koko because of the Kokosing,” Divine Dabire ’29 said. “I love the mascot’s piercing and Doc Martens. I think it’s very cool.” Dabire added that the owl should have a “fun and lively” personality rather than keeping a mysterious air. 

Others embraced the quirky details of the mascot’s design. “I really like the glasses. I feel like that’s a whole vibe,” said Becca Boue ’29, who also admitted that the mascot can look “a little creepy, but that might just be because he’s a mascot.” Hailey Luong ’29 said she thinks the owl is cute: “If you’re having a bad day and you see a random purple mascot walking around, it’s kind of like a big teddy bear. It just cheers you up. … I appreciate the person who takes up the job.”

Behind the fun lies serious logistical work. A group of trained “mascoteers” rotate through shifts in the costume, which requires careful maintenance, designated secret changing spaces and a committed team to drive the mascot around. The Purple Prize Patrol, a force of cheer-spreading do-gooders, has currently been stepping up, but administrators are looking to get the owl its own “mascot-mobile.” Interest in joining the mascoteer program has grown along with the mascot’s popularity, and administrators hope it will become a long-standing campus tradition. 

In an interview with the Collegian, Coordinator of Administrative Services Amy Quinlivan said the goal was always for the mascot to be more than just a sports fixture. “The owl needed to connect with the whole Kenyon community, not just athletics and not just look fierce and tough,” she explained. “We wanted it to look like it was happy, friendly, a little fierce. So we wanted it to have an earring and Doc Martens. It was a collaboration of thinking that it wanted to be a mascot on campus that everyone could identify with or relate to or be excited to see and be around, not just for athletics.”

The owl’s accessories set it apart from traditional mascots that are less detail-oriented, a design choice intended to create a sense of personality for the bird-of-Minerva. That personality will eventually be expanded with a backstory: Landry hinted at a possible “bio page” for the mascot, including fun facts and lighthearted rivalries with mascots from other schools. He told the Collegian, “The mascot should be friend to all, except for our rivals.” More future plans include a potential origin video created by Kenyon film students, as well as mascot merchandise such as bobbleheads, T-shirts and potentially even 3D figures. 

In the future, Landry hopes that Kenyon can have more than one mascot. “We give [the mascot] an additional costume and let students experience it again, like the process of creating it and bringing it to campus.”

For now, anticipation is centered around the big name reveal and seeing the mascot around campus. “The mascot has become a source of joy and community,” Quinlivan said. “It’s something students, alumni and families can rally around, and once it has a name, it will truly feel like a part of Kenyon.”

Kenyon is still looking for mascoteers, and interested students can sign up on the Office of the Provost’s website.