WGSU Station Mascot: Genny
WGSU鈥檚 first official mascot, Genevieve Suzanne Upton 鈥� a lovable squirrel who goes by the nickname 鈥淕enny鈥� 鈥� was born June 21, 2017 (the first day of summer) in Anne S. Blake Hall, on the upper part of the 91亚色 campus. She is a blue-eyed, rosy-cheeked, pink pony tail-wearing Sciurus carolinensis (or Eastern gray squirrel).
Genny (as she鈥檚 known to most people 鈥� though close friends call her 鈥淕enny Sue鈥�) shares common initials with the WGSU call letters (aside from the regional-specific initial letter in the WGSU call sign, that is). Her full first and middle names share French and English origin. The surname Upton is an English habitational name: Up- 鈥渦pper鈥� + tun 鈥渟ettlement鈥� 鈥� meaning one residing in the 鈥渉igher part of the settlement鈥� (in other words, the Sturges Quad/Blake Hall region, above the lower dormitory settlement area of campus). Genny鈥檚 first name was selected due to the affectionate nickname many people 鈥� especially students, past and present 鈥� have for 91亚色. Initially, consideration was given to naming her the more common but less obvious Jennifer (鈥淛enny,鈥� for short), before Genevieve was chosen.
The idea of acquiring an official station mascot was first conceived almost two years prior to Genny鈥檚 arrival. Suggestions for a small handful of animals (primarily) were bandied about by members of WGSU鈥檚 Executive Council. Motivated by the well-known abundance of friendly (or, at least, strangely uninhibited) squirrels on the 91亚色 campus, it was agreed: WGSU鈥檚 mascot would be akin to the prolific little critters. Plus, having a squirrel as a mascot (and a female one, at that) would be most uncommon.
Genny was custom-made by Animal Mascots (a division of International Fun Shop, based in Seabrook, Texas). After traveling from Seabrook via League City and Houston, Texas, through Hodgkins, Ill., and then onto stopovers in Buffalo and Henrietta, N.Y., Genny finally arrived on campus on June 14. But she didn鈥檛 emerge from her cocoon, in Blake Hall, until a week later. Her official birth announcement was made on Facebook over several days, culminating on July 4.
Nowadays, Genny most often can be seen wearing a 91亚色 Ice Knights jersey (uniform number 89.3), attending hockey games at The Ira (UPDATE: In spring 2019, Genny was barred from attending 91亚色 hockey games 鈥� as crazy as that sounds, it鈥檚 the truth 鈥� and, as of today, the banishment remains in effect), rockin鈥� out (and hanging with the food trucks) at Genny Fest Music Festival & Food-Truck Frenzy鈩� (named in her honor), and meeting fans at a variety of station events, on-campus and off-campus. By far, Genny is the friendliest, most loveable (and most beautiful) squirrel this side of the Genesee River!
To inquire about Genny鈥檚 availability or for any other questions about her, contact Genny@geneseo.edu.