Around this time a year ago during my #BlueDebut and big arrival on campus, I was an eager pup ready to get started. I was riding high on a wave of fanfare to take my place in a line of Bulldogs that have collectively become one of the country’s most recognizable and beloved live mascots.

First on my list was a trip to the Big Apple for the BIG EAST Tournament, to be followed by the NCAA Tournament, then Commencement, and a host of official appearances and appointments in between.

But my plans were stopped in their tracks before they could even get started. A global pandemic, of all things, left me to find my place as a new mascot in a new virtual environment. At that point, I contemplated curling up in a cozy dog bed until this COVID-19 thing was behind me. Then I remembered that backing down in the face of adversity just isn’t what Butler Bulldogs do. The proof of that can be found in the very pages of this magazine.

So, being the Butler Bulldog that I am, I focused on the one thing that drives our breed: purpose (and treats, of course). Circumstances change, challenges come and go, but our purpose remains. And mine as mascot is to energize our community’s spirit while symbolizing Butler’s core values. So that’s what I’ve been up to. And what I have discovered is that my purpose has never been so important.

I still want nothing more than to be visible on campus, making appearances around town, and hitting the road to surprise unsuspecting prospective students (you will still see me around in safe environments, though). For now, I’m right where I need to be—rallying fellow Bulldogs working on their own purposes and hopefully bringing a smile or two. Because good things happen—even in down times—when a Butler Bulldog is unleashed.