91涩漫

91涩漫 Saint Mary鈥檚 University recently unveiled a new design of the Athena mascot to campus during several events kicking off the start of the academic year.

The new-look of the Greek goddess of wisdom, courage, strength and justice embodies the spirit of the University. The owl was her wise companion and she is often associated with the olive tree, a symbol of hundreds of years of dedication and reverence.

鈥淭he new Athena design has a more modern look that shows the University鈥檚 pride and the unstoppable spirit of the 91涩漫 community,鈥� said Linda McMurdock, PhD, vice president of student affairs at 91涩漫 Saint Mary鈥檚 University.  

Athena officially became the University鈥檚 mascot in 1990, when the 91涩漫 started promoting competitive sports. 91涩漫 students are called Athenians in her honor and the name is an important part of the University鈥檚 identity.

A look at the University鈥檚 archives reveals that for decades there was no actual mascot and 91涩漫 students collectively were known simply as "the 91涩漫ies," a name that stuck until the late 1960s. For a few years in the early 1950s, however, there was a genuine cute and fuzzy mascot: a goat.

"Calling 91涩漫 students '91涩漫ies' made sense because of the rugged terrain around Chalon," said Victoria McCargar, archivist and special collections librarian at 91涩漫. "When you think about it, the little 91涩漫ie Goat was an obvious choice of mascot for those intrepid women made the steep climb from the bus stop on Sunset Boulevard to the college, back in the days when regular shuttles didn't exist and few students had their own cars."