15 years, 15 questions
06/23/2025
J. Denny Beaver celebrated his 15th birthday by welcoming new students to Summer Orientation.
It’s Always a Great Day to be a Beaver
Coming to you live from the Little Riley Creek, Bluffton University Public Relations office was able to get an exclusive interview with the busiest of beavers, J. Denny Beaver, on the dawn of his birthday! Through this interview we asked J. Denny some of the most pressing questions to see what wisdom he could impart on us after 15 years of being Bluffton’s iconic mascot. We’ve done our best to translate from beaver to English to provide you the most reliable answers possible.
Happy 15th birthday, J. Denny! How does it feel to be celebrating such a big milestone?
Wow, I remember when I was just a little kit playing in the Riley, and now I’m here
representing Bluffton! It’s a pretty amazing feeling, and I’m honored to have been
chosen as the face of the university.
You’ve been part of so many Bluffton traditions—what’s your favorite event or memory
on campus?
It’s difficult to pick just one, since there are so many fun traditions and memorable
moments. Finals Breakfast and Dam Jam are some of my favorites of the past few years,
and I always enjoy cheering on our student-athletes!
Meeting the first-year students at orientation is a special time, and Homecoming of course is a blast. Playing with the little, future beavers – although sometimes they yank at my tail haha! And of course, meeting my girl friend Jenny Beaver, couldn’t do it without her! We love to take long golf cart rides together around the beautiful Bluffton campus.
What was it like stepping onto campus for the very first time back in 2010?
I was amazed by the friendliness and warmth of the campus community. Filling the shoes
of Bucky Beaver was going to be a tough one, but the community has been very inviting
and really helped me feel welcome in my role here!
Shout out to Sally Weaver Sommer and Eric Fulcomer for introducing me at Convocation back then, what a fun surprise.
If you could major in anything at Bluffton, what would it be—and why?
According to the registrar’s office, I’m an environmental science major here at Bluffton.
I love to be outside and exploring nature, we have a such a beautiful campus and nature
preserve. Beavers work to leave the world a better place, and that’s what I try to
do every day.
How do you stay in shape for all those high-fives, hugs and dance moves?
I get my cardio walking through campus, finger curls for the high-fives and building
dams in the creek help me stay in tip-top shape for all the fun events!
What’s a typical day in the life of J. Denny Beaver like? Do you get recognized everywhere
you go?
Well of course, I’m the real deal! My day depends on the time of year, there’s always
something fun happening. During the summer I meet with new students during orientation,
and during the early fall and spring I get to give high-fives to the local elementary
school students.
Lots of my afternoons and evenings are spent cheering on our student athletics during home games. I get to make cool videos with the PR and admissions teams, walk around campus to say hi to current students. At Bluffton, it’s always a great day to be a beaver!
You’ve got some serious school spirit—what’s your go-to cheer or move to hype up the
crowd?
I’ve got a handful in my jersey pocket! I can do all the classics, like the wave and
raise the roof. I also love running the flag during a touchdown at home football games.
Do you have a favorite spot on campus to relax when you're not cheering people on?
Anywhere close to the Little Riley Creek is relaxing to me!
If you could take over one Bluffton class for a day, what would you teach and why?
I’d teach Design 2, where we’d be creating three-dimensional media including wood
carving, or Hydrology, exploring the study of the distribution, movement and management
of water in a conservation context.
What advice would you give to new students just starting their Bluffton journey?
It’s ok to not have all the answers or have your four years figured out when you get
here. That’s part of the fun of the journey of college. There’s a lot of wonderful
faculty and staff here who are willing to help you succeed and lots of amazing students
and alumni that make up a supportive network.
If you had your own theme song, what would it be—and can we hear you hum it?
Well, I’m a quiet beaver, so no humming from me. But you can hear the students in
The Dam usually sing the Beaver Call, which I think qualifies as my theme song!
Over the years, you’ve met thousands of Beavers. What’s one thing you’ve learned from
the Bluffton community?
I’ve met a lot of wonderful people over the years! I’ve learned that the Bluffton
community is a very welcoming place, someplace that feels like home to a lot of people
and that’s a unique feeling. When we work together, we can accomplish anything; we’re
resourceful and we strive to accomplish more with less and be sustainable.
If you could invite any famous mascot to your birthday party, who would it be?
Hmm, that’s a tough one… All of my buddies from Flag City Night Out Mascot Olympics
are definitely on the VIP list!
What’s your go-to snack in The Commons—do beavers have a sweet tooth?
I’m a big fan of the salad bar! Lots of leafy greens is my go-to or a fresh, crisp
apple. But who can resist a soft-serve cone or hard-dipped ice cream every once and
a while?
Finally, what’s next for you? Any big birthday wishes or future plans for the next
15 years?
Well, I’ve been told they want to host a Birthday Bash for me during this year’s Homecoming
celebration! I’m excited to see all the alumni and get to party together with my favorite
people.
Beyond that, I look forward to cheering on our students, athletes and the Bluffton community for the next 15 years and beyond.
Go Beavers!
