Mammoths. Irradients. Octagons. The list goes on.
This fall alumni, students, faculty and staff submitted 2,046 ideas for a new Amherst mascot. The nominations came from 1,590 people, and 588 of the ideas were unique. Now the Mascot Committee—a group composed primarily of students and alumni—has winnowed the list to 30 semifinalists.
Each of the 30 connects to Amherst. In certain cases that connection is through color (the Amethyst, the Purple). Some ideas call back to the motto (the Flame, the Luminaries) or take inspiration from local wildlife—the Valley Hawks, which fly above, or the Mastodon, in the Beneski Museum of Natural History. One is an anagram (the Hamster), while another pays homage to Amherst’s cultural and intellectual history (the Poets).
A representative group of alumni and student delegates is now advising the committee by rating the semifinalists according to previously agreed-upon criteria and alumni feedback. The committee will use these ratings to identify the top five mascot suggestions, which will be put forward for a full community vote in late March.
The Semifinalists
Aces
Amethyst
A’s
Beacons
Dinosaur
Falcons
Fighting Poets
Flame
Hamster
Hawks
Irradients
Luminaries
Mammoths
Mastodon
Moose
Oaks
Octagons
Owl
Phoenix
Poets
Purple & White
Purple Aces
Purple Rays
Radiance
Rays
Valley Hawks
Wolves
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