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(11/29/12 5:00am)
By Kelsey Thomas Staff Writer thomask15@up.edu1) Take a picture with Wally Pilot 2) Buy yourself a date at the Villa Man Auction. If a Villian, sell yourself for a night for charity 3) Paint your face purple for a socer game 4) See future Broadway stars in a show at the Mago Hunt Theatre. 5) Actually learn the alma mater song so you don't have to mumble your way through it at graduation 6) Write an opinion piece or letter to the editor for The Beacon 7) Volunteer with the Moreau Center for Service and Leadership 8) Catch a free CPB flick in the BC Auditorium 9) Explore St. Johns or the rest of North Portland 10) Attend a competition for every UP sports team
(09/13/12 4:00am)
(Photo courtesy of UP Marketing)
(11/02/11 4:00am)
(-- The Beacon)
(04/21/11 4:00am)
Wally Pilot returns as UP's mascot - Fall 2009 (The Beacon archive)
(04/14/11 4:00am)
(The Beacon)
(02/24/11 5:00am)
(Bryan Brenize -- The Beacon)
(02/03/11 5:00am)
(The Beacon)
(02/18/10 5:00am)
By Lisa McMahanEvery year, the senior class presents a farewell gift to the university. This year's seniors are giving back in a big way, setting a monetary goal almost 10 times larger than any senior gift in the past.What is the motive behind this grandiose gift? Honoring Molly Hightower, the 2009 UP alumna killed in the earthquake in Haiti last month.In memory of Molly, the Senior Gift Committee plans to set up an endowment that will provide scholarships for students at UP. The committee began meeting last semester and considered other gifts that would benefit the students at UP through improvements on campus. But after the earthquake occurred, its focus changed."The committee was compelled to do something to honor their schoolmate," Leanne Goolsby, Senior Gift Committee adviser said. The committee set a goal to raise $50,000 by June 1 in order to set up an endowment, a self-perpetuating fund that will ensure the University can offer the scholarships in the future.Committee members plan to award a scholarship or scholarships in the coming school year. Though criteria for the scholarship have not been established, the committee plans to take into account students' involvement in service to honor Hightower's own history of service at UP and in Haiti. "The student or students who receive scholarship funding will be determined based on financial need and embodiment of the qualities Molly possessed," Goolsby said. "A strong sense of faith and a dedication to service for others."Last year's senior class gifted the university with around $7,000 to reinstate Wally Pilot as the mascot. Past senior classes typically gave gifts valued around $2,500, according to senior Colton Coughlin, Senior Gift Committee member and ASUP President. "It's very lofty compared to what we've raised in the past, but administration is very supportive," Coughlin said.The committee plans to raise money through student, parent and alumni donations, and is planning fundraisers for the coming months. "We are having a white-out party, P-Diddy style, on April 10," Coughlin said. The committee is working with Seven Planet, a Portland general store that provides green and sustainable products, to plan the party. All proceeds will go to the scholarship. "It will be a really strong push over the next months," Goolsby said. "Hopefully we will have a strong campus presence and presence in the community."Those interested in donating can go to www.up.edu/giveonline, where a Senior Gift Committee donation Web site will be set up in a few days. Goolsby can also be contacted directly at (503) 943-7878 or at goolsby@up.edu."We're appealing to a larger population," Coughlin said.If the committee is unable to raise enough funds to set up an endowment it will still establish an annual scholarship, according to Goolsby.Senior Rachel Lopez believes the scholarship will be a fitting tribute to Molly's legacy at UP."It's definitely carrying on her name and the example she set for us," Lopez said. Goolsby hopes students will be able to take their experiences on The Bluff and use them as Hightower did. "She was a really strong representation of the university's mission," Goolsby said. "Teaching, faith, service - that's what she was doing."
(02/11/10 5:00am)
By Roya Ghorbani-ElizehOnce a month, visitors will find students walking alongside a giant mascot in the academic quad. And this time it's not Wally Pilot. Advertisements in hand, "Noddy Boy" hugs and mingles with the students on campus to bring awareness to UP's own improv troupe and its performances on campus. The Bluffoons, formerly known as ActUP, are busy planning their show for tomorrow night, as well as reformatting their team with the sole purpose of making students laugh. The Bluffoons, headed by president Stephanie Bayne, consists of 12 to 15 UP students who perform five improv shows every semester."Improv helps you in every aspect of your life," Bayne, a senior, said. "People don't have scripts walking around in real life."The Bluffoons practice once a week."Practice consists of learning about different concepts and techniques central to improvised acting, such as creating a character, developing strong relationships, and just learning how to set others up for success in a scene while still having fun," Vice President Matt Vanderlann said. "Then we play a bunch of improv games to practice those skills."The team, which Bayne took over two years ago changed its name because the improv troupe was unable to receive funds from ASUP because of the original purpose of ActUP.According to the Student Activities Web site, ActUP is a student club that "creates a base of student support for University of Portland drama department events, thereby increasing the number and scope of the events." The improv troupe does not receive funding because improv was not part of the previously written constitution for the theater-based group."We are only allowed to request funds for anything the theater department is doing," Bayne said. "The only money we get is what we make through the improv shows."In the coming months, Bayne and the Bluffoons plan to submit a new constitution to ASUP to officially become a university-sanctioned improv group, which would make the group eligible for funding next fall. Along with the name change, the improv troupe also decided to split the troupe into two sections. Membership in the first section, known as the core group, is by audition only. Eight to 10 students are in this group."A lot of other schools have an audition-only team of a few people," Vanderlaan said. "We decided that we wanted a committed group like that, but that we also had a huge strength in being open to whoever chose to attend practice and learn the skills we practice every week."The core group is in charge of putting together and performing in three of the shows of the semester. Also, the core group competes in improv competitions against other colleges from around the area. Last semester, the core team traveled up to Seattle to compete in the Northwest Improv Competition. The Bluffoons made it to the final round. The second group, known as the workshop group, is currently being trained by the core group. Members of the workshop team will plan and perform about two shows a semester. "Everyone gets to be in a show if you are in the club," Bayne said. "Splitting the groups is a way to be elite, but not to be elite at all."Asides from all the changes, the Bluffoons also aim to bring the world-renowned improv troupe Upright Citizens Brigade to perform and run workshops on The Bluff. With no budget, the Bluffoons are asking CPB to help fund the performance, which would cost upwards of $5,000. The Bluffoons have been floating around several petitions that they will present to the CPB board this week. "This is another form of entertainment that we could bring to the school," Bayne said. "If we let them know how interested we are and that the campus wants them to come, maybe they will fund it."The Bluffoons kick off the semester with a performance tomorrow at 8:45 p.m. in the Mago Hunt Recital Hall. The cost is $2 per person or $3 for two people."The Bluffoons are always open to more membership and more fans," Vanderlaan said. "With more support from the student body, the Bluffoons could get clearance to do wilder and zanier things that will push the limits of their improv skills and bring even more humor to the campus."
(01/28/10 5:00am)
During the Pilots 80-64 victory over Pepperdine, local mascots put on a showBy John McCartyWhen the halftime buzzer sounded on Saturday night, the Pilots were ahead of the Pepperdine Waves 49 to 38 and two teams of mascots were preparing to face off in an epic basketball duel for the enjoyment of the 2,605 people present.Saturday's duel with the Waves, an 80-64 victory, was also mascot night and Wally Pilot was joined by the likes of Timber Joey, the Winter Hawks's Tom-A-Hawk, a Duracell battery, Duck Vader, a Subway Sub Sandwich, Wesley the Cheerful Tortoise and even a giant Widmer Beer and Lemon combination."I had no idea it was mascot night until halftime," sophomore Scott Hines said. "All of a sudden the court was full of people in costumes playing basketball. It was awesome." Though some of the mascots were physically restricted by their costumes, both teams fought hard on every possession. "I almost cried when the turtle (Wesley the Cheerful Tortoise) tried to shoot a three pointer," sophomore Sean Spaulding said. "He completely missed the basket and ended up hitting the Widmer beer instead."Actually hitting the basket proved to be a difficult feat for the majority of the mascots, especially the Widmer Beer and the Duracell battery who both lacked arms. "I'm not sure why the battery even played, it must've been terrible running up and down the court in that suit and not being able to really get involved." Hines said. A limited range of motion did little to deter the action on the court and the mascots battled back and forth across court in a chaotic mob. According to Spaulding, the lack of uniforms made it extremely difficult to differentiate between the teams. More mobile mascots like Wally, Tom-A-Hawk and Wesley the Cheerful Tortoise were better able to control the ball and thus had the majority of the points during the mascot game. "The bird (Tom-A-Hawk) had mad skill," Spaulding said. "He grabbed a rebound, showed off some crazy dribbling abilities and then went in for a clean layup." The game proved to be a shootout between Wally, Wesley and Tom-A-Hawk while Timber Joey demonstrated superb defensive technique and tenacity. Wesley the Cheerful Tortoise continued to attempt three pointers throughout the night even in the face of Wally's pressing defense. "All the mascots were shooting like crazy," Hines said. "When the turtle finally drained a three, it was sick. I don't even think I could make that shot."Halftime drew to a close and the mascot shenanigans came to an end with the only clear winner being the fans. The Pilots stepped back onto the court and maintained a strong lead throughout the second half.At the final buzzer, the score was 80-64, senior guard T.J. Campbell scored a carrier high 24 points, and junior guard Jared Stohl made six threes and moved up to second most career three pointers. The Pilots shot 53 percent overall and toughened up on defense in the second half to add another win atop Thursday's 79-39 trouncing of Loyola Marymount. UP's defeated LMU by the largest margin since the 1999-2000 season and was accomplished without regular starter senior guard Nik Raivio, who is currently out with a strained Achilles tendon. The team travels to San Francisco to face off against the USF Dons on Thursday and the Santa Clara Broncos on Sunday.
(12/03/09 5:00am)
By Allison GoodfellowDear Wally Pilot, I recently received your latest postcard, and I am glad to see that you are having such a good time in Las Vegas. However, for your own sake, I wonder if perhaps you should reconsider the content of your postcards. After all, if the administration should happen to see you enjoying the company of such disreputable individuals, they may get the false impression that you are participating in activities antithetical to Catholic social teachings. People might even suggest that your postcard could possibly be misconstrued as immoral and indecent especially by the standards of a Catholic institution, which prides itself on educating the entire person, mind, body and spirit. Also, I know it would seem odd that anyone might find such a portrayal of women offensive, but there are those people who simply do not understand how wholesome and family oriented Vegas showgirls tend to be. Some of the local families might even get the wrong idea about the values UP promotes. In fact, some of the extremely conservative families may even get the absurd idea that your new friends are not good role models for their children. There may even be a few people on this campus who would prefer not to be associated with such activities. My final concern is that the young women, who are going to be representing the University in basketball, might find it offensive that you are going to Vegas not to support our team, but rather to take advantage of the many other forms of entertainment which are so popular in Las Vegas. These talented women may prefer to be represented by something more worthy of their abilities and position as student leaders at the university. I am certain that there must be other equally positive ways to portray our athletic department without offending the overly sensitive people on campus and in the community. Therefore I recommend that in the future, you choose only to send out pictures that align with the stated goals and teachings of the university. After all, people easily come to faulty conclusions, even when you work hard to portray value-based activities like in your previous postcard. Allison Goodfellow is a senior English history and German studies major
(10/15/09 4:00am)
The University's Athletics Department uses promotions, new media to reach studentsBy Roya Ghorbani-ElizehWhen Wally Pilot changes his Facebook status, over 1,623 of his friends will see his game updates and news from The Bluff. Welcome to the new world of sports marketing at UP. With three separate Facebook accounts, a Twitter page and a YouTube page, UP's Athletics Department is increasingly using social media, the Internet and prize giveaways to raise interest in UP teams.According to Tricia Miller, marketing director for Athletics, one of the department's goals for this year was to get students more involved in home games. "I always seem to hear that students didn't know when the games were," Miller said. "It's easy to walk right by the flyers on campus."With a few keystrokes, Miller and her marketing team are able to get information to students instantly by advertising games and future promotions through Web sites like Facebook. Every Monday, the marketing team brainstorms strategies to entice people on campus, especially students, to support the teams. "There are a lot of students and community promotions planned for this year," Miller said. "We have all sorts of fun stuff up our sleeve."The most recent promotion, sponsored by corporate partner All About Hawaii, was Oct. 8. Through the promotion, one student was given two plane tickets and five-day hotel accommodations to Hawaii. Dubbed the "Duck Invasion," all UP students were invited to pick up numbered rubber ducks in the Academic Quad during the afternoon. That night, the winning duck number was called during the volleyball game against LMU. The winner, sophomore Tina Schicchi, found out about her win over the phone from a friend. Schicchi missed part of the game because of a meeting, and had to run over to the Chiles Center to claim her prize."I sprinted all the way there, I was so excited," Schicchi said. "I don't think I've ever run so fast."Miller described the promotion as fun and successful because of student participation. "The promotion went really well because of the big crowd and then with the win volleyball had," said Miller.Students also noticed the increased attendance at the volleyball game."I think that the promotion that night brought a lot of students to the crowd that wouldn't usually show up on a school night," said Schicchi. Other UP teams have also seen a spike in interest from the students on campus. According to junior Lynn Le, athletic marketing intern, students have been coming to the home games "decked out and in droves.""There is a lot of enthusiasm from this year's freshman class," Le said. "They have been a major component to the spirit at the games so far."While the marketing team does most of the advertising and promotions to raise awareness for the Athletics Department, some UP teams have employed their own marketing strategies. The men's cross-country team has created several videos for the "UPPurplePride" YouTube website. "These videos give the community a chance to meet the student athletes," Miller said. "They are great for promoting teams and also for recruiting new athletes." Along with promoting sports teams, the marketing team also aims to create a sense of community on The Bluff and in the local area. With the use of mascot Wally Pilot, the Marketing team attends local events to create awareness of the University and its sports teams. UP mascot Wally Pilot is putting in a lot of hours to help that effort.Recently, he has appeared in local parades and other events held in the Portland area, including the Race for the Cure last month. "Everyone was walking next to him and wanting to have their picture with Wally," Miller said. "It was amazing to see the response he was getting from the people in the race."With the new sports season around the corner, the marketing team is making plans for winter sports promotions. A key focus will be men's basketball. "We want to make the games as fun as possible," Miller said. "We recently just hired a professional DJ who will be playing music at every home game."That's not all. "This year we are creating a new school spirit tradition, and it's going to start at the men's basketball games," Le said. "It's called Pilot Riot, so keep an eye out for it."Promotion of this year's men's basketball game against Gonzaga is already underway. The Jan. 9 home game had initially caused some concern about attendance for the Athletics Department because of its proximity so close to the end of winter break. "Residence Life's schedule had the dorms reopen on Sunday, Jan. 10 like they always had," Miller said. "However, we were able to change it to Jan. 9 so students could come to the Gonzaga basketball game."Although the flurry of activity in the increasingly fast pace of athletics marketing keeps Miller busy, she has help. Five UP students work as Athletics Marketing interns. They are responsible for things such as game day events and campus promotion."They're interns, but they are also Wally Pilot handlers, street team members and arts and crafts experts," Miller said. "They are everything to us."The interns say they benefit as well. "This internship has helped me learn how to consider marketing trends in a sports business atmosphere," Le said. "It's great exposure on how to effectively brand a name."Call it a win-win for the Marketing Department and the community. "We have a good story to tell about our teams and their participation in the community," Miller said. "We just want people to know that story."
(10/15/09 4:00am)
By Beth ElliottOne of my fondest high school memories was yearbook distribution day. Maybe it is because I am a total yearbook geek or possibly because I held in my hand a year's culmination of stories, photos and quotes, all assembled through the sweat and tears of the yearbook staff. After leaving high school, I thought the days of yearbook was over. I was devastated, until I realized UP had a yearbook!Yes, you read that correctly. UP does have a yearbook. Unlike high school, you do not have to pay for it as the costs are covered in your student activity fee. But you ask, isn't a yearbook too high school? Hardly! Have you ever had your computer crash while completing a late night paper? Bye bye photos. Bye bye homecoming memories. Until, you remember the yearbook covered it. All you have to do is curl up with a group of friends and flip to the homecoming spread. It is like traveling down memory lane. After a year's sweat, tears and more sweat, the 08-09 book is finally completed, and today is Yearbook Distribution Day! The 08-09 yearbooks will be distributed to Sophomore, Juniors and Seniors at the Pilot House Patio. Pick up your yearbook between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. for a chance to win a new iPod video nano. The winner will be announced in the next Beacon. Wally the Pilot will be making a guest appearance between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.The exclusion of freshmen was not a typo. Freshmen will get their chance next year to pick up an 09-10 book. Sophomores, welcome to three more years of yearbook bliss. Juniors, shall we toast to two more years? Finally, seniors, hopefully this is not the first you have heard about a yearbook. So, we have copies of previous years, just stop by the yearbook office in St. Mary's. As it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a staff of eight to cover the year's history. Our staff is comprised of some of the best photographers, copywriters and designers who have graced our campus. However, they can only produce a book that is worth looking at if YOU help! Allow them to take your picture, or get your quote. Without you, our yearbook is simply empty pages. Club presidents, is there an event you would like us to cover? Email me. Professors, is your class going to the beach to study tide pools? Let me know. Photographers, would you like to show off your photos? Send them to me. For the past week, I have read the book cover to cover. I know you are a little confused as to why "tribes" and "shelter" are section names and I know everyone isn't represented. But, you have to admit, it looks good, right?If you have another opinion, I want to hear it. How can the yearbook better serve you? The Log office is located in St. Mary's Lounge, right next to The Beacon. I have office hours on Mondays from 12:30 p.m. till 2 p.m., Wednesday from 9 a.m. till 11 a.m., and Thursday from 9 a.m. till 11:45 a.m. Please feel free to stop by or email me at elliott10@up.edu.Beth Elliott is Editor in Chief of The Log
(09/10/09 4:00am)
By Tarra McCurdyIf you're not into the political sphere of ASUP, Campus Program Board, more commonly known as CPB, is another great way to get involved with student government. If you're interested in being behind the scenes at school events, CPB is for you. This organization hosts several of the social events around campus for your entertainment. For instance, we play the films shown in BC Auditorium every weekend; this week we're showing "The Proposal." Voting for October's films will be happening next week. In addition to films, we're currently planning our biggest event of the semester, Homecoming. It's time to bring school spirit to another level, especially with Wally Pilot returning to the Bluff. Homecoming will be a little different this year with events planned throughout the week (Sept. 28 to Oct. 3), leading up to the game and dance. We're going to "pump up the purple!"Also in October, we're having our first coffeehouse, featuring Ryanhood, an acoustic duo from Tucson, Ariz. They are amazing musicians who write their own songs as well as do covers. You can find more information about them on their website: www.ryanhood.com. Although we have all these events already lined up for the semester, we would love to hear your opinion about possible future events or ways to improve our current events. We'll have our first meeting tonight, Thursday, September 10 at 5 p.m. in Shiley Hall 123. Tarra McCurdy is CPB Director
(09/03/09 4:00am)
By Aaron O'ConnellWally Pilot has once again reappeared on The Bluff, undergoing a costume reinvention and new biography to explain his five-year hiatus. Apparently the University's previous stabs at creating this particular mascot were not indication enough that a rather frightening rendition of a riverboat pilot does not inspire pride or spirit within the University of Portland community. Instead, once again, the cheerleader for Pilot athletics - in fact the quintessential Pilot fan - is Wally. The last time Wally made an appearance on The Bluff, he was eventually decommissioned because nobody cared anymore. What, after five years, has given reason that students have been pining for the exact same mascot? True, Wally has undergone some changes in his absence, losing clothing, gaining more defined facial features and evidently taking steroids. But will Wally's costume change suddenly cause Pilot supporters to rally behind his banner? Maybe so. The women's soccer home opener recorded the third-highest attendance recorded at Merlo field. But most likely the reason for the attendance was the single-largest freshman class in UP history, and not the re-redesigned mascot. School mascots are highly effective tools at driving school spirit, but the University seems to have a long-standing problem with the notion of Wally the Riverboat Pilot. The mascot has been lost and forgotten more than once, renamed and recostumed. When the seniors decided to make their senior gift a mascot for the school, why would the students elect to pick another Wally?There was obvious effort that went in to Wally's comeback. The postcards are quaint, the biography is interesting and the costume is ridiculous. Wally even attempts to entreat the younger audience of UP athletics. A small sentence directed to the younger UP supporters reads, "Kids, Wally wants YOU to join the UP Kid's Club..." But what child would not be terrified of that countenance?The other choices the students had were a purple muppet (the photo on the Web site was actually a green muppet), an English dog called the Schipperke, and some mascot resembling Syracuse's "Orange", except adapted to be UP's "Purple". Instead, the University's student body elected a Wally Pilot who would not have been out of place as a mascot for the Village People. Why not the Schipperke? Its name even means "Little Sailor." And if it was a live, trained dog, that would have been even better. You can't pet Wally without looking strange, but you could pet a small sailing dog. Who knows? Maybe it would even do tricks. And even the rather nebulous idea of the Portland Purple would be an interesting concept to see in action. One can never go wrong with a giant blob of purple for a mascot or even a giant purple muppet. It was time for the mascot of the University of Portland to change, especially with such an exciting year mounting in Pilot athletics. But instead the community is left for another bout with a different version of the same riverboat captain.When I see the peregrine falcon of the Air Force Academy flying around the stadium and the Thunderbirds scream overhead I get excited. When I see a riverboat pilot sporting a maniacal grin, sleeveless T-shirt and Styrofoam fortified arms, I don't really feel like cheering. The mascot seems, if anything, to mock UP. I don't expect the might of the United States Air Force to appear at our sports events, but it would be nice to have a mascot which didn't detract from the sports environment. But who knows? Maybe this Wally is the charm. ?Aaron O'Connell is the Sports Editor of The Beacon. He ?can be contacted at ?oconnell11@up.edu
(09/03/09 4:00am)
By Lisa McMahanNew mascot Wally Pilot returns to the UP sidelines with a new look, but don't be fooled by his fantastic physique. The beloved riverboat captain was conceived 60 years ago and the numerous re-inventions reflect the university's struggle to keep up with the times. The Beacon sports staff created a contest at mascot-less UP in March of 1948 with hopes of discovering a "suitable symbol to represent the University of Portland athletic teams and the school in general." Two months later, the staff announced its competition culminated in a tie. Sophomore H.J. Frison suggested the construction of a boat around a war surplus Jeep. Another student, junior Nolan Drurey, came up with the slightly more practical concept of a riverboat pilot. Drurey's original sketch depicts a dwarflike character with an overcoat hanging down to his oversized shoes and a pipe wedged in the corner of his mouth. His shirt is adorned with nautical stripes and he clutches a spyglass in his hands. Both Frison and Drurey were awarded five large cartons of Chesterfield cigarettes, but it seems Drurey's vision was deemed more feasible (and less likely to tear apart UP's fields and courts). His concept appeared in subsequent editions of both the Pilot Student Guide and The Log, both of which introduced him as "SPU" or "Spirit of Portland University." Sometimes referred to as "Captain SPU" or, more formally, "Mr. SPU," Wally came to exist under his current moniker in the early 1970s. Portland Magazine editor Brian Doyle reported in a 1998 issue that Wally's nickname probably originated in reference to the late Rev. Paul Waldschmidt, C.S.C., who served as President at UP from 1962 to 1978. Waldschmidt acknowledged the probable association of names in his Feb. 10, 1978 memo officially proclaiming the following week "Wally Pilot Week."The idea became a reality thanks to the funding of a former fraternity, Upsilon Omega Pi, which constructed and regularly paraded the signature outfit: a raincoat, boots and a cumbersome head made of paper maché. Despite the discomfort experienced by the men behind the mask, the riverboat pilot appeared at pep events and danced his way into - and out of - the hearts of many UP students and fans. In a 1992 Beacon article, former sports editor Peter Julian called Wally an atrocity and wrote, "I've seen my grandpa come home drunk and beat up, and still look better than Wally." His frightening face disappeared from athletic events when Upsilon Omega Pi voluntarily withdrew university recognition. According to a Feb. 4, 1993 issue of The Beacon, because the fraternity no longer possessed university recognition, its mascot was no longer permitted to appear at any University-affiliated events. The following fall, Wally debuted after another makeover. His new look was a result of much compromise between University Public Relations and the students themselves, who argued that because the original mascot was designed by a student to represent the entire community, the new and improved Wally should be approached accordingly. The new version, designed by student Terry Morrin and sponsored by the University, modeled a menacing brow juxtaposed with a blindingly white smile. His look was complete with the addition of white gloves, a dark overcoat, and a captain's hat. Ten years later, Wally the riverboat Pilot sailed away once again. According to Tricia Miller, Athletics Marketing director, he made his last appearance during the 2003-2004 basketball season. His departure was a result of "complete apathy for him," and, the following season, no one seemed to notice he was gone, Miller wrote in an e-mail. A few years later, that attitude reversed and the movement to reinstate a mascot began. The class of 2009, in conjunction with the Athletic Department, made it their goal to bring a mascot back to The Bluff. They held a focus group with last year's seniors, headed up by former ASUP President Kyle Bunch and raised over $7,000, which covered a good portion of the cost, said Athletics Group Sales and Promotions Manager Beth Connell. After a period of cooperation involving both student input and mascot producer Alinco Costumes, Wally's most recent version made his official debut at last Friday's women's soccer game versus UC Berkeley. Wally, however, was out and about in a variety of venues this summer, including fairs, festivals, and the 100th anniversary of Tillamook Cheese. His attendance at events on-and-off of campus is part of the Athletic Department's quest to create awareness. Wally's increasing celebrity status is also enhanced by his very own website, facebook page and postcard series. Connell says he will be attending important away games and hopes that Wally "makes an appearance at as many sports as he can," including soccer, volleyball, basketball, and tennis.His image represents who the Pilots are, according to Connell. Junior Drew Hegarty explained, "Every big school has a mascot and Wally gives an identity to the University."Wally's appearance is similar to that of the last mascot, with a few minor alterations. "We didn't necessarily know if we wanted to go with a human again," Connell said, but the current Wally technically is a more recent adaptation of a riverboat pilot.University Archivist the Rev. Robert Antonelli, C.S.C., who helped compile and organize Wally's extensive history, believes that Wally's fluctuating appearance and presence "shows the University's willingness to keep abreast of its student preferences." Indeed, Wally's cut off T-shirt and exaggerated strut appear vastly different from the characteristics of his predecessors. "The University remains the same, but public image of it has to change to reflect current population," Antonelli said. Sixty years after the Spirit of Portland University first appeared, the University's vision for its mascot remains the same, "Overall we hope for a really positive camaraderie and school spirit, and we want to capture that school spirit," Connell said.
(02/05/09 5:00am)
By Katie SchleissSenior Joe Coulter remembers the day when Wally, the long-serving school mascot, was laid to rest. He described the ordeal as a very solemn memorial, kind of like a mock funeral, with mock eulogies and mock crying. The mascot costume was placed in a casket, covered with a University of Portland flag and carried down to the Willamette River as though it would be dumped in the river."That was one scary mascot. It was a terrible costume," Coulter said. "The eyes were way too big and the smile looked like he was going to kill someone. Kids would run away from it during basketball games."Since this day in the fall of 2005, the University has not yet replaced the mascot. However, the goal of this year's Senior Gift Committee is to raise about $5,000 to pay for the new and improved mascot. ASUP president Kyle Bunch said when the original mascot was taken away, it was with the intention of bringing a new mascot in the near future. However, this has been low on the University's list of priorities, until now."The Senior Gift hopes to raise about $5,000 to pay for the new mascot, with costs going to a designer and the actual materials used to create the costume," Bunch said. The committee is planning a fundraiser to help raise enough money.One event planned is "A Night on the Town," which will take place on Feb. 13. Bunch hopes that this event will raise around $2,000. Admission will be $15 and there will be music, beer, food and giveaways. The event will take place at Sameunderneath Clothing Company on Mississippi Avenue, which is owned by one of the members the Board of Regents who approached the Senior Gift Committee and offered to host the event. "We are hoping that the sale of what senior T-shirts will raise around $1,000, and that donations ?and letters sent to parents will raise the remainder of the money needed," Busch said. "If we raise enough money, the new mascot should be in the process of being designed by the end of the semester."Trish Miller, athletics marketing director, said that the primary reason for getting rid of Wally was because the image wasn't exciting enough. She said that there wasn't any spirit in terms of inspiring the fans or contributing to the game atmosphere. She described Wally as nothing more than a foam head on a body."It was almost embarrassing," Miller said.The actual design of the new mascot has not been decided, Bunch said, but some possibilities include a redesign of the original Wally the Pilot mascot costume. Right now, Bunch said that once the committee is confident that they have raised enough money, they will be able to go through the design process. "For something like this, I would imagine it costing around $10,000," Miller said. "It's really expensive, which is why this project has been on hold. The intent would be that the Athletics office would pay for half and the other half of the funds would come from fundraising."Bunch said a committee formed from individuals working in the Athletics Department will decide what the mascot will be, but students will also have many opportunities to provide input. Although Bunch said that there are no definite plans yet, ways that students could give feedback would include voting online, and suggestion boxes should be installed around spring break."Do people want the old Wally image back, a quirky pilot type of guy, or something else entirely? I'd love to see the students involved and voting. I want this to be a student project and student driven," Miller said.If the whole process runs smoothly, Miller projected the University could expect to see the new mascot up and running by the next basketball season."Ultimately, the point of a mascot is to excite the fans, rally them as a leader, and represent the Athletics Department. We should be proud of it," Miller said
(02/05/09 5:00am)
The senior gift this year is going to help pay for the creation of a new UP mascotBy Katie SchleissSenior Joe Coulter remembers the day when Wally, the long-serving school mascot, was laid to rest. He described the ordeal as a very solemn memorial, kind of like a mock funeral, with mock eulogies and mock crying. The mascot costume was placed in a casket, covered with a University of Portland flag and carried down to the Willamette River as though it would be dumped in the river."That was one scary mascot. It was a terrible costume," Coulter said. "The eyes were way too big and the smile looked like he was going to kill someone. Kids would run away from it during basketball games."Since this day in the fall of 2005, the University has not yet replaced the mascot. However, the goal of this year's Senior Gift Committee is to raise about $5,000 to pay for the new and improved mascot. ASUP president Kyle Bunch said when the original mascot was taken away, it was with the intention of bringing a new mascot in the near future. However, this has been low on the University's list of priorities, until now."The Senior Gift hopes to raise about $5,000 to pay for the new mascot, with costs going to a designer and the actual materials used to create the costume," Bunch said. The committee is planning a fundraiser to help raise enough money.One event planned is "A Night on the Town," which will take place on Feb. 13. Bunch hopes that this event will raise around $2,000. Admission will be $15 and there will be music, beer, food and giveaways. The event will take place at Sameunderneath Clothing Company on Mississippi Avenue, which is owned by one of the members the Board of Regents who approached the Senior Gift Committee and offered to host the event. "We are hoping that the sale of what senior T-shirts will raise around $1,000, and that donations ?and letters sent to parents will raise the remainder of the money needed," Busch said. "If we raise enough money, the new mascot should be in the process of being designed by the end of the semester."Trish Miller, athletics marketing director, said that the primary reason for getting rid of Wally was because the image wasn't exciting enough. She said that there wasn't any spirit in terms of inspiring the fans or contributing to the game atmosphere. She described Wally as nothing more than a foam head on a body."It was almost embarrassing," Miller said.The actual design of the new mascot has not been decided, Bunch said, but some possibilities include a redesign of the original Wally the Pilot mascot costume. Right now, Bunch said that once the committee is confident that they have raised enough money, they will be able to go through the design process. "For something like this, I would imagine it costing around $10,000," Miller said. "It's really expensive, which is why this project has been on hold. The intent would be that the Athletics office would pay for half and the other half of the funds would come from fundraising."Bunch said a committee formed from individuals working in the Athletics Department will decide what the mascot will be, but students will also have many opportunities to provide input. Although Bunch said that there are no definite plans yet, ways that students could give feedback would include voting online, and suggestion boxes should be installed around spring break."Do people want the old Wally image back, a quirky pilot type of guy, or something else entirely? I'd love to see the students involved and voting. I want this to be a student project and student driven," Miller said.If the whole process runs smoothly, Miller projected the University could expect to see the new mascot up and running by the next basketball season."Ultimately, the point of a mascot is to excite the fans, rally them as a leader, and represent the Athletics Department. We should be proud of it," Miller said
(10/25/07 4:00am)
Athletic Department seeks design ideas from ?the student bodyBy Dannielle LoweThe University just began the public phase of the search for a mascot worthy of wearing the purple "P" and it wants student input. According to Athletic Marketing Director Tricia Miller, the search for the new mascot is the second phase in the University's re-branding attempts. Last year, the University updated the Pilots logo and Nike designed the present-day "P." But the students will be the ones helping with the new design for the mascot. The Athletic Marketing Department and ASUP are working together in hopes of gaining student input. The public phase of the search just began, calling on students to submit their mascot designs and ideas. The search has been designed as a sort of contest, but it's not being called that because there is no prize and the winning design may be slightly altered. "We're not totally making it a contest because we may take bits and pieces from a couple designs or the designer may alter the design so it can be replicated," Miller said. The target date for the debut of the new mascot is Jan. 19 for the men's basketball opener. In order for the date to be met, there are series of steps that must take place. First, students will turn in designs and ideas through Monday. Following the submittal phase, a committee made up of alumni, staff, coaches, athletes and administrators will select four designs that will then be put forward for student voting. Once the four designs have been chosen, the choice becomes the student body's. The students will vote on which design they like best and the new mascot will be sent to a graphic designer who will make the design replicable. Next, the final design will be sent to Alinco Costumes, who will produce the mascot costume, which should take roughly eight weeks. The schedule is completely tentative and may fluctuate depending on how efficiently the different phases are completed. The budget for the process is around $4,000 and will most likely be covered by ASUP, Miller said. This is not the first UP mascot design request. In fact students designed and voted on the former mascot Wally the Pilot. But many who remember the huge head figure will attest to his lack of flare. "I came the year after Wally died, but I remember him," junior Annie Speight said. "He was a no bueno mascot." In 2005, the University had agreed with students in deciding Wally had reached his shelf life and made the decision to eliminate the character. Upon his departure, there wasn't a lot of uproar, according to Miller. But over the years the cry and desire for a new mascot has grown in intensity. "The students don't specifically miss Wally, but they do say they really miss having a character," Miller said. "We kept hearing more and more from the student body. They want a mascot again." The search for the new mascot has been an ongoing activity. Before the public announcement of the search, there were many backroom discussions between the athletic marketing group, ASUP and the administration. Ultimately, all the parties involved believe the students should get the final say. Hence the search for student input. According to Miller, the ideal situation would be for students to embrace the democratic opportunity and contribute their ideas. "We really want the students to decide," Miller said. "We want to be able to say, here's what we have, give us a vote." According to Miller, ideas do not have to resemble Wally or even a pilot. In fact, ideas have included a salmon and a walrus. Each student has an idea of what he would like the new character to be. "I wasn't here when we had Wally, but I think we should have a female purple pirate," senior Brandon Howard said. Whatever shape or form the mascot takes, UP will still be the Pilots. The figure students cheer behind will simply be different.
(09/27/07 4:00am)
By Nic LaPonteA few of you may remember several years back, there used to be a face to the athletic programs here. That face was Wally. He was a boisterous scamp, cavorting and extolling fans to new levels of feverous revelry at games and events. Wally was also a bit of a laughingstock; in the world of athletic mascots he was an anomaly. No one really knew what he supposed to be. Ideally, Wally represented the intrepid spirit of the original river pilots of the Willamette and the Columbia, bravely navigating the treacherous and unmarked waterways and guiding ships to safety. These are the pilots from which our school takes the moniker "Pilots" and the ideal that Wally was supposed to represent. Something got lost, however, in the historical translation from brave ideal to mascot form. The sight of what was essentially a gigantic head with a saucy grin did not promote the inspiring thoughts about our intrepid namesakes that a good mascot should. Wally got the ax. This left the school with a void to fill. Questions have been circulating ever since Wally's departure about a replacement mascot that would better reflect both our heritage and out school spirit. The question that I want answered is one that I don't think many have considered. Do we even need a mascot? "When Wally first went away, we didn't hear a peep from anyone," said Tricia Miller, athletic marketing director.You've been to the soccer games; school spirit is obviously not an issue. Groups like the Christie Hall Firemen, the Villa Drum Squad and the newly legalized Purple Pride all promote school spirit and do at the games what a mascot is supposed to do: excite the crowd. The mascot void has been with us for so long that only the senior class has actually memories of Wally. There are still vestiges of his existence hanging around, like the cold specter of breath on a cold morning. The ASUP logo, for instance, still features Wally in his trademark stance, charging bravely into the unknown. The majority of students here have gone through its entire college experience so far without a mascot to rally behind. This lack of a public face for the Athletic Department has not impacted game attendance or school spirit. Is it worth spending the money and energy to come up with a new one? What has been done in the last three years about the new mascot? Are there secret meetings and back room conferences deciding the future face of the Portland Pilots?The fact that the mascot decision will be in large part student-based was one thing that Miller stressed. "I don't want students to feel like it's an underground thing - it's the voice of the students. We've talked about using an online voting system similar to the one that ASUP uses," Miller said. Despite the seemingly long time period between Wally's retirement and any news about a new mascot, there are, in fact, plans in the works, and some progress has been made toward selecting a new face for the school. "We're trying to work with ASUP to try and develop a strategy for getting a new mascot. We've done some brainstorm sessions and had some really funny ideas. We're just trying to narrow down the concept to get the image that we're looking for," Miller said. There haven't been any appreciable expenditures on the project as of yet, according to Miller. The Athletic Marketing Department and ASUP are still trying to work out a budget as part of their overall plan. Any project of this size will eventually cost some money, though; the price of just the costume could range from $6,000 to $10,000."We'll use a professional company to develop our ideas," Miller said.I'm still not entirely convinced of the strict necessity of a mascot. Although the prospect of a fresh face to rally behind is exciting, I'm in doubt of just a single character to accurately represent all of the dynamism and spirit that our school possess. Ultimately, the reason Wally failed was that he didn't represent us anymore. The selection process for the new mascot should facilitate more student responses. Indeed, it already has. I leave you to think about the possibility of one of the many new, unique mascot suggestions in one of the brainstorming sessions."One of the hundreds of random ideas has been a salmon, which we actually quite liked," Miller said.
