You’ve seen him shaking his tail at the basketball games, waving to prospective students at open houses, heck he probably welcomed you along with the OA’s your first day on campus. Say hello to Bucky, our campus mascot!
Hey Bucky! We were wondering, how did you come to Bucknell?
Dr. William Bartol is my father; he suggested that I come to Bucknell in 1923 due to the school’s location in the Buffalo Valley. With the close proximity to Penn State, and the Nittany Lions that once roamed not so far away, it seemed fitting to christen our mascot a bison due to a similar story in Lewisburg.
You are always decked out in Orange and Blue; do you know the history on that as well?
I love orange and blue! It makes my fur really pop! Bucknell’s colors, Orange and Blue, were chosen in 1887, way before I existed. William Emmett Martin, a graduate of Bucknell was married to Mrs. Martin who graduated from the Female Institute in 1862. The student committee given the task of naming the colors noticed a decorative silk ribbon bow of “gendarme blue and deep pumpkin orange” on the back of Mrs. Martin’s rocking chair, and decided they were the most fitting for our dear university. The colors were approved in 1888 and Bucknellians (including me!) have been rocking the orange and blue ever since.
Has there ever been more than one “Bucky” on campus?
In 1946, a baby bison was presented to the booster club for the centennial homecoming game by John Shumberger of Allentown, Pa. Sadly; the bison lived only until the following spring.
If you could take classes on campus what would they be and why?
Management 101; without a doubt. If I do say myself I am quite the creative Bison; I mean have you seen my moves at campus games? But seriously, I always love seeing the new projects the students come up with and I’d really like to be able to join in on the creative process; not to mention, learn tons about management and business at the same time. I also live to sport Bucknell wear; it can never hurt to add another Bucknell piece of clothing to the collection now can it?
What is your favorite event on campus?
While I really love all of the basketball games, and getting to shake my tail, I’m partial to Accepted Students Day and Parents Weekend. I love getting hugs from all of the kids and alumni but I also love showing a crowd of students that have been accepted into the university how much I adore this school.
Are you looking for a Mrs. Bucky anytime soon?
Sadly, bison are few and far between on campus, but I hear there is some cute bears sometimes that wander across the quad. Perhaps in the next few years we’ll come to a new mascot, Buckette the bison-bear. Imagine that!