Florida Atlantic University’s Program Board hosted a birthday party for Hoot, the university’s beloved mascot, on Thursday night to honor another year of school spirit.

Students and faculty celebrated Hoot’s birthday as FAU introduced the mascot back in 2019. According to a University Press article, Hoot is a sweet and lovable character who’s always dancing and having fun as a sidekick to the main mascot, Owlsley, who walked onto campus in 2011.

This “cute” persona is brought to life by one of FAU’s very own students whose identity is a mystery, according to the article. Owlsley and Hoot are usually seen cheering on the crowds at athletics games and events around campus. 

“Some of our larger student programming events, Owlsley and Hoot, come out too, and they are in very high demand,” said Larry Faerman, FAU vice president of student affairs.

Faerman stood alongside Hoot, cutting cake for students, and he commented on the importance of the university’s mascots to the FAU community. 

“We originally had Owlsley, who was the sole mascot, and we were able to add the secondary mascot a couple of years ago … they’re a little bit divergent in terms of their personalities, so I think it speaks to different areas of the student population,” said Faerman.

FAU introduced the “secondary” mascot to campus six years ago. Since then, the love for Hoot has only grown. Madison De Leon, Program Board marketing chair, adds to the admiration for Hoot and her impactful personality towards the student body.

“Hoot is adorable, she brings a lot of light, a lot of dancing, and is always waving at the students. Even there, she looks like she’s having a great time celebrating her birthday, going around to all the students saying ‘Hi’ and taking pictures,” said De Leon. 

FAU sophomore Yasmine Gay believes having a mascot supports unity and strengthens community. She pointed out the importance of this event for Hoot and having a mascot representing the university.

“I feel like without a mascot you are kind of just lost and you’re just with the people, but with a mascot you’re brought together,” said Gay. 

Ava Hilton is the Copy Desk Chief for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email ava.hilton13@gmail.com.