The Compass

Issue date: 10/9/07 Section: Campus Life

Laker the Goose is ready to rumble.

By David Frizzell
Contributing Writer
924175423@gsc.edu

With hundreds of new faces arriving on the Gainesville State College campus this semester, there is one new face that stands six feet tall and has a yellow beak.
Enter Laker the Goose, GSC's new mascot, the face of the Fighting Geese. He's being introduced this semester, and that's due to some people who developed a plan and stuck with it.
Some students wanted to have a mascot at the school, and about one year ago a committee was held to discuss the possibilities. Shortly thereafter the campus released t-shirts with a "GSC Fighting Geese" insignia, teasing at the fact that there were so many geese seen around the campus. That's where the idea began to take off.
During the spring semester of 2007 a survey was sent out to all the students' with a poll regarding a mascot for GSC. The candidates were the Bulls, the Cougars, the Eagles, the Fighting Geese, the Gladiators, and the Grizzly Bears. The Fighting Geese was put up against each choice, and it won out every time. "The response rate was great," stated Cara Skeat, the director of student life at GSC. "It's a really good example to engage students in the process."
After the results were final, and the Fighting Geese was the top vote getter, it was time to make a name for the lead mascot. "Someone suggested the goose be called Laker," Skeat said. The name has apparently stuck, since GSC has officially introduced Laker the Goose as the leader of the Fighting Geese. Even though he has no sports team to cheer on, Laker will serve a deeper purpose. "It allows us all to have something in common," claims Skeat, "it creates community."
Students will become aware of the new mascot starting this semester when Laker will appear on many different items ranging from t-shirts, to folders and binders in the book store. Laker will make appearances at campus events as well. He already got a head start by attending the Weeks of Welcome barbeque held on Aug. 29. He was seen dancing to music and taking pictures with students passing by.

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