While our sister school is home of the mislabeled racist stereotype (Go Gaucho!) and UC Irvine long ago embraced an anteater named Peter, IVC chose the Laser to promote the college as a cutting edge technological campus. 
But the mascot choice has been a challenge. Unlike more traditional mascots, the Laser defies cuddly representations or fierce warrior-like depictions.
After all, it's difficult to get excited about a utilitarian mascot mostly associated with hair removal or eye surgery or failed first strike missile tests.
Rebel Girl remembers one sad Laser mascot foray into public life: a student, clad in a bright blue unitard emblazoned with a silver thunderbolt, walked quickly across campus, maybe ten years ago, during one of those student club days. The Laser waved. No one waved back.
Now the Laser's unlikely tenure is coming to an end.
from the college webpage:
Irvine Valley College, as part of our 25th anniversary and in the spirit of a vibrant and growing college, is inviting students, faculty, staff and alumni to review the college mascot – The Lasers.
The Associated Students of Irvine Valley College are asking you to nominate your idea for the next generation’s College Mascot. Nominations may be made by anyone involved with our campus by submitting the required information via e-mail. Nominations are currently being accepted and close on December 11th. All nominations will be reviewed by the ASVIC Executive Board and IVC Marketing and Outreach Committee, and student voting will be conducted in early February to determine the mascot.
Nominations are encouraged to include the following information:
● Nominator and/or organization (name and e-mail)
● Affiliation with the College (student, alumni, donor, etc.)
● Mascot & a suggested name
● Supporting rationale (uniqueness, history, utility, etc.)
● Use of official school colors (blue, silver and white)
● Examples (pictures, drawings, attachments are permitted)
● Suggested uses (athletics, marketing/recruiting, letterhead, costume, apparel, bookstore, etc.
Nominations must be submitted no later than December 11th.Let's go.
All submissions must be made by e-mail (attachments are permitted) to kshackleford@ivc.edu
*
50 comments:
The Saddleback Gaucho is wince-worthy - especially in a South OC context, especially with that mustache.
IVC elephants? Then we can use the GOP symbol.
I nominate "The Angry Beavers."
Didn't the UCI anteater come from some classic comic strip?
The IVC opossums.
The Spartans!
The Beemers?
The Credit Cards?
The Super Conductors!
The delta smelts?
Sand flies?
Kangaroo rats?
--Or just "Wagnerians."
The Neanderthals!
The bullying Christians!
I think we need a noble mascot that will inspire our atheletes.
Here are some obvious prospects, given the local animal life:
Bobcats, mountain lions, lynxes, coyotes, hawks.
Also, given our local history:
vaqueros, caballeros
Bobcats are cute! They're like bulldozers but smaller!
So, every 25 years or so IVC will change its stripe and reinvent itself since breaking away from its big sister to the south (big sister? How does that mesh with a Goucho?)
The two colleges have an identify crisis. We need consultants to help us out as the district so often does in solving (supposedly) its problems. But let's consult our attorneys first to see whom they would recommend.
Was this brought on by our series of visits from ACCJC? Is it a mid-life crisis? Clearly both colleges need counseling from the stress of report and visit warfare. We are in Accreditation post traumatic stress syndrom or APTSS.
We should become the IVC Grouchos!
The teams can wear the false mustaches and noses and eyeglasses.
Coyotes!
The Conquering Caballeros!
El Caballero De La Armadura Oxidada!
The Irvine Pioneers!
PTSD has nothing to do with it. "Lasers" was a nice try, but it failed to inspire and, in fact, it became inappropriate (when we sold all of our laser gear). We all seem to want to encourage something like "school spirit," and it doesn't help that, upon screaming, "Lasers!" we look upon ourselves with confusion and embarrassment. So I say we go with bobcats or mountain lions. Bobcats are more appropriate (since they're in our midst), but they're a tad too cute. Mountain lions probably seldom get to these lowlands, but they are appropriately aggressive and assertive. (Plus the cubs are as cute as bobcats.) So MOUNTAIN LIONS it is! Or COUGARS. But, around these parts, it's MOUNTAIN LIONS.
If we call ourselves the Vaqueros, won't that underscore the folly of Saddleback's Gaucho? I'm not saying that's a problem; I'm saying it's a plus! The "Grauchos" would do the same, only it would only be a matter of time before someone slams that mascot as yet another ethnic stereotype. So that nixes the Grauchos. Coyotes have a bad--if undeserved--reputation, so that's out. (May as well call ourselves the skunks or sloths.) I'm willing to go along with bobcats, and mountain lions are classic. But Vaqueros would be so cool.
Vaqueros would be too hard to spell.
Go Red Tails!
The Fighting Filosophers!
The Ducks! The Ducks!
I suggest the Vultures, as carrion eating seems to be popular in the governance of the college.
The Dolphins.
The Toxic Plumes!
"The Fighting Douchebags."
Oh, come on, that's just going too far. You're just being crude, not creative or funny.
I like the Mountain Lions, Coyotes and the Hawks - in that order.
Who gets to vote?
Crude? How about the "steaming crepitations?" Wuss.
oh, shut up.
Ddin't they discover the bones of some kind of ancient swimming elephant dinosaur under the freeway?
We could use that as a mascot.
I like coyotes.
How about a mythical direction?
The IVC Dragons.
The Peoples Republic of Chunkitude
Yeah, what about the Chunks?
Or even the Dissenters?
Or even the Rat Bastards?
The IVC Chunky Lumpies!
Oh, you are too funny, ES (that had to be you at 7:18, correct?)!
Given the phenomenal capacity of coyotes to adjust to adverse conditions, this "outsider" finds it an appropriate mascot for you guys.
MAH
Hey!
The Rock Lobsters! Down, down, down....
The IVC Pirates.
Yeah, that was me - I also suggested the Toxic Plumes.
ES
The "toxic plumes" is brilliant!
ES, someday we must meet.
:)
MAH
I'm sure I would like that very much... :)
ES
I too liked the toxic plumes. Very deep, that. -RB
Though not nearly as deep as once believed.
ES
Land Sharks
2 choices. IVC Vipers, or IVC Thunderbirds.
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