Mount Olive College Trojan Comes to Life

University of Mount Olive recently acquired a new Trojan mascot which brought up conversations about how we became the Trojans in the first place.

“During the fall semester of 1965 there was a meeting in the auditorium of the old building where we voted on our College colors and our mascot,” stated Alumni Director Dianne Riley.  “The Trojan was selected from a list of mascots such as Greenwaves, Black Widows, Bulldogs, etc.”

The first mascot was ordered in the early 2000s, another in 2007 and the latest, most modern version came on board in late 2010.

“The motivation for purchasing the new mascot costume was to have a mascot that would be a great ‘face of Mount Olive’ at local events,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Dan Sullivan. “When I was watching the Mount Olive Christmas parade, I noticed there were a number of mascots (Piggly Wiggly, Andy’s, and Mt. Olive Pickle), and I thought we were missing a great opportunity for publicity. I think it would be great to have the Trojan mascot represent the College at public functions in Mount Olive and Goldsboro, and perhaps even at some state events.”

The newest Trojan mascot has audience appeal.  Its larger-than-life head and permanent smile may not evoke fear in the hearts or our competitors, but students, alumni, family, friends, and fans can instantly feel a sense of camaraderie and support for the home team whenever the Trojan takes to the court or the field.

“A good mascot is an important part of the entertainment package of college athletic events,” said Director of Athletics Jeff Eisen.  “A mascot can entertain the entire crowd with its antics during timeouts, and interact on one-on-one basis during other parts of the game, bringing smiles to the faces of fans, especially kids.  Our current Trojan is doing a great job with all of these things and is a wonderful addition to the games.”

As Eisen indicated it’s not just about the costume.  It’s about the person inside the costume as well.

The identity of the Trojan mascot is a guarded secret.  However, the job description is not.  The chief responsibilities include surfing the crowd, building excitement and, most importantly, having fun!

For a quick glimpse of the new Trojan Mascot, see the video below or visit www.moc.edu/trojan.

University of Mount Olive is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values. The College, sponsored by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists, has locations in Mount Olive, New Bern, Wilmington, Goldsboro, Research Triangle Park, Washington and Jacksonville.  For more information, visit www.moc.edu.