The Gustavus Mascot and cheerleader dance in 1963.
Did you know… that our first mascot costume was created by an essay contest sponsored by the Campus Bookstore? In the fall of 1960, two students (Jerry Springston ’62 and Lowell Rasmussen ‘ 61) wrote the winning essay, and the college bookstore purchased a lion costume. Over the next two decades, the costume was lost (and or stolen). The mascot was re-introduced in the mid-1980s as “Thor.”
The lion logo was never officially adopted as a logo until 1996, and by then, Thor had been changed to the “Gus” we know today! Stay tuned… because our dear Gus is getting a makeover in time for Homecoming 2012!