Elizabethtown College has been associated with blue jays since its founding, with Blue the Blue Jay as the official mascot. But another icon has been on campus for several years, and is just as well known among students; Truman the therapy doodle. That realization brought a question to my mind: who is the most iconic mascot at Etown, Blue or Truman? Let’s see what people on campus, as well as what those outside campus, believe.
Students needed no explanations for the iconic mascots, but for people not affiliated with the College, I provided a photo of Blue and Truman as I asked who the better mascot was.
I put an anonymous poll on my floor’s group chat and had 15 votes; 13 people voted for Truman and two voted for Blue. This result seems to be the majority of what students on campus believe, since anyone I asked said Truman. My roommate picked Truman with no hesitation when I asked.
“Truman makes me happy, he brings me joy,” senior Lux Hileman said.
When I began asking off campus, the answer shifted in favor of Blue over Truman. When I asked both my dad and stepmom what their opinions were, my stepmom picked Blue while my dad was confused.
“I mean … you are the Blue Jays… the dog isn’t really a mascot,” Kristy Rohrman said.
“The blue doodles?” David Rohrman said.
I decided that I needed to ask people further from Etown what they thought, since my parents know too much about campus. I asked my sister, as well as the manager at where I work.
“Blue jay. Dogs pass away, mascots can’t so it’ll be the same,” Valerie Owens said.
“Dog overall, but blue jay for sports,” Cat Corbin said.
What can be seen is that most people not connected with student life on campus would say Blue is the better mascot, while those on campus say Truman makes the better mascot. I have some theories for why that is the case, mostly revolving around the proximity and knowledge of campus life. Students have a much deeper connection with what goes on at Etown, and Truman is always around campus. Whereas those outside the College don’t have that relationship with Truman, they only see Blue since he’s the official mascot.
If you ask my opinion on this question, I side with the majority of the students at Etown, I say Truman makes a better mascot. I prefer Truman since he’s real, you can pet him and he is present on campus, whereas Blue just exists in promotional material.
Truman and Blue are amazing mascots for Etown. They both bring something unique to be seen. Truman shows the student life and is more personal, while Blue shows the College overall and the image. Whoever you prefer, both Blue and Truman are valid and appreciated here on campus.
