6. The Blugold, What is it?

“Over the years, there have been many ideas regarding what a Blugold is - ranging from a mythical bird to a simple misspelling of the word "bulldogs," to the spirit inside each UW-Eau Claire student,” says Nathaniel Shuda in his article in The Spectator, UWEC’s student newspaper. So really what is a Blugold? In my research there has been a debate over this question for years, since 1945. Sixty-four years later and we still have issues defining what our own school mascot is? On November 11, 1965, a panel of judges attempted to answer the question and actually provide a face to the Blugold name. They had five options to choose from: Blugold Beaver, Blugold Eagle, Golden Eagle, the Norse god Odin, or the Eau Claire Riverman. The result of the vote was never revealed, however the Student Senate two years later took a vote on the issue. Chancellor Brian Levin-Stankevich said, "The Blugold thing is different than a mascot.” This makes the university much more unique than others. He adds that the Blugold embodies a specific kind of spirit. "It's a state of being rather than a thing,” he concludes. So there you have it ladies and gentleman, a Blugold is a state of being. I guess that is why the flagpoles on the hill read, “A Blugold Now, A Blugold Forever.” We will always carry the spirit of the Eau Claire Blugold with us, even if we cannot put a face to a name.