To request an appearance by Rowan's Mascot "Whoo" at events on or off campus, please complete the form and return to: bily@rowan.edu
For questions or more information, contact Colleen Bily at 856-256-4676 or bily@rowan.edu
MASCOT APPEARANCE REQUEST
Who’s Whoo at Rowan?
The Prof is the official mascot of Rowan University athletics, and the Prof has a name –
Whoo RU.
Whoo got his first name because of the sound owls make. They usually hoot five times: whoo, whoo-whoo-whoo, whoo but they can also range from three to six hoots. The last name, RU, stands for Rowan University.
Owls are known for their prominent eyes, haunting screech and extraordinary “wisdom”. They can see in the dark and are not afraid to take on large prey. At one time, people believed that owls had supernatural powers. Rowan’s fans are convinced that Whoo actually does have such powers. They are counting on him to excite the crowd and help lead RU to countless victories.
Owls are more often heard than seen. Whoo RU can be seen flying around at Rowan athletic events and cheering on the teams. He enjoys posing for pictures with children of all ages, and is always happy to sign autographs for Rowan Fans.
Whoo’s Profile
Description: Large brown and gold owl
Eyes: Beady yellow
Height: 6’0’’
Weight: 170+ pounds depending on what competition he preyed upon that day.
Wingspan: 6’5’’
Favorite Foods: Hamburgers, milkshakes, lions, and ospreys
Favorite Musical Groups: The Who, The Guess Who
Favorite Hangouts: Old abandoned barns, Esby Gym, Coach Richard Wackar Stadium, the Owl’s Nest
Favorite Presidents: JFK, Abraham Lincoln, Dr. Ali Houshmand
The History of the Prof
The Rowan University “Professorial Owl” has been a misunderstood yet deeply dynamic figure for 50 years. Not only does Rowan’s Prof promote the sports teams, but he has also, over the years, become a proud endorser of the student publications, campus events and all-around Rowan pride.
The biggest question from people, linked academically to Rowan or not, would have to be “What is a Prof?” Being that Rowan University was originally the Glassboro Normal School and then the New Jersey’s State Teacher’s College at Glassboro, this establishment has always been known for its roots tied to creating educators. In 1957, when the Glassboro campus decided it was time to create a mascot, a wise, old Owl was the perfect image to portray Rowan’s emphasis on education.
In 1959, Don Pasquale sketched the first rendition of the Prof and just one year later, Claude DiGenova was the first person to don the Prof costume. It had been noted that, originally, the Prof was not a popular mascot. It was not menacing or daring as other team’s mascots were but the students decided it was better to be unique and held onto the Prof, even though the first costume made was often times mistaken for a chicken. Revisions of the Prof’s costume were already in motion.
The 1970’s proved to be a disappointing revision of the Prof. The body to the original costume was tossed aside and a young girl would sport the head for brief periods of time at football games.
In the early 1980’s, the Prof began appearing all over campus, not just at athletic events. From 1983 to 1987, the student paper, The Whit, created a simple image of the Prof to grace its banner. The image was of an owl, in black and white, wearing a graduation cap and tassel.
In 1985, the live mascot was revived after the 1970’s lull. Brian Kass was the man to wear the costume but since the old one was discarded, where would he get one? Kass and colleague/sewing partner, Mary Danielsen, got together fabrics and materials to create their own Prof costume.
In 1987, The Prof also made his way into on-campus events. In an attempt to make the weekends on campus more enjoyable, the Student Activities Board created a biweekly open-mic night and comedy show for students which was aptly given the name, “The Night Owl.”
That same year the Prof became the yearbook’s image of interest. Several depictions of the Prof made their way into the yearbook and also onto Glassboro State College garb and memorabilia.
Since this mascot or costume were not officially instated by Glassboro State College at the time, Kass would find himself running around at football games and track meets unannounced and, to a certain extent, unwelcome. Though Kass got in the way of the game occasionally, the students loved him and shortly after his bold move as mascot, the college agreed they needed an official Prof and collected the money to get a real costume.
In the 1990’s, Rowan’s athletic teams were doing exceptionally well and it was proof that an official, standard for the Prof was needed for uniforms and equipment. Alum Cindy Crane, with the help of Sports Information Director Sheila Stevenson and Publications Director Ed Ziegler, worked to design an official Prof.
The new Prof steered away from the “teacherly” attributes like his graduation cap and glasses and instead was pumped up with muscles, a jersey and a solid look of pride in his eyes. This new and improved symbol of Rowan University was engrained in every member of the student body, faculty and staff.
In 1996, Chris Cullman and Rob Cappoli added color to the design. The colorful Prof was a little more beefy and for the following 10 years would prove to be the ultimate sign of Rowan, appearing on notebooks, sweatshirts and anything else you can think of.
In 2006, Athletic Director Joy Solomen called for yet another redesign of the Prof — one which she hoped would better emulate an athletic appearance for Rowan’s sports teams. The new and current Prof is fiercer with swooping wings, is ready to attack, and has prominent talons to alert competitors that the game ahead would not be an easy one.
To this day, the Prof carries on his legend with a wingspan of history more intriguing than most fellow mascots. Rowan University’s pride shines through the Prof as he continues to reflect our goals, aspirations and expectations as an outstanding athletic organization as well as an excellent educational establishment.
