The University of Central Missouri’s mascot, Mo the Mule, can be found at athletic events and fairs on campus and in the Warrensburg community. The mascot is part of UCM’s Cheer Squad and is a position fulfilled by UCM students who earn a scholarship per semester for their role.
“I was a high school mascot during my junior and senior years. From there, I worked with the Royals and portrayed Clifford the Big Red Dog for Scholastic. Now, I’m the UCM mascot,” the sophomore who portrays Mo the Mule said.
One of the many responsibilities of the mascot is to keep their identity a secret. According to UCM Head Cheerleading Coach Kelli Woodson, in the professional mascot world, keeping names secret is an ethical standard. However, at UCM, those close to the mascot, such as family and friends, can be aware of them as long as they do not share the information with others.
“We try to keep who’s inside the costume private as much as possible, so that he can be who he wants to be when he steps inside that costume… They’re pretty reserved people but they are not the same when they’re in that costume. They’re outgoing, they’re exciting, they jump around. It allows them to be a different human without any judgment,” said Woodson.
Two student workers, a sophomore and a junior, represent UCM’s mascot. Each one has a job with or without the suit. While one is in the suit, the other watches out for them, serving as the “spotter”. It is important for both to be at the game.
“One of us is the watcher, and the other is in the suit, because the person in the suit has to see through the eyesight of the mascot head, which is very bad. Most of the time, seeing in front of you is not hard, but seeing below you is very hard. If there’s a little kid, you can almost kick them and not even know the kid was there until your leg actually touches them,” the junior who portrays Mo the Mule said.
Many feel that the entertaining performances of the mascot bring joy to school events. Their passion for entertaining, dancing and having a good time, as well as influencing the audience to do the same, brings entertainment. The mascot has learned that staying up to date with social media trends is important, or else the job may be difficult.
“Working with the kids for me is the closest I will ever get to being a celebrity. So a lot of people come up to me and just want to take a picture, or want just a high five or a fist bump. So it’s really cool for me to do that,” the junior who portrays Mo the Mule said.
The interaction with the audience is most important to Mo. Mo shared that the audience is nice and gives a lot of leeway to take pictures and give high-fives. The mascot can run around and do what they think is entertaining for the audience. Mo shared that they have never met a bad fan at UCM athletic events.
“The fans are a big part of it, and that’s part of why I chose to come here. UCM is rich in athletics here. Most of the athletic programs are pretty good. It’s also such a good community here in Warrensburg; it’s so easy to get connected with the fans, the alumni, the visitors. So yeah, I enjoy the interactions,” the junior who portrays Mo the Mule said.
Many students look forward to seeing the mascot at upcoming football games. Some students find the mascots creative and unique compared to other common mascots.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the mascot at the football games. I think Mo the Mule is pretty creative because nobody else has that mascot. Most people use mascots like the Rolling Tide, Eagles, Vikings, and all the other popular mascots. But I like the mule,” sophomore Tyler Jones said.
