Alfred State College’S Mascots Include?

Alfred University and Alfred State College have their roots in the early teaching college, the Alfred Select School. The school was visionary in its equal opportunity policy and in 1908, President Boothe C. Alfred selected an ox as the winning animal for the college’s mascot after over a year of branding research and polling.

The Alfred State Pioneers have 80 majors in agriculture, allied health, applied technology, architecture, and engineering. In 2018, a committee at Alfred determined that an animal mascot is more inclusive and inviting, aiming to provide athletes, students, alumni, and fans with a more inclusive experience. In 2018, the athletic department introduced Big Blue as the official mascot to replace Orvis the Pioneer, part of a rebranding process.

Big Blue is one of 32 mascots competing in the 2022 SUNY Mascot Madness competition, with the first round against the 0–1 (D-III:.000) Conference titles. The college has also adopted the ox as a popular symbol on college apparel and merchandise.

The campus community felt that an ox would be the ideal mascot to represent the institution nickname. The mascot has been a part of the Alfred State community since 2018, and Eric Jones has taken his talents to Alfred State, creating a sculpture of the college’s mascot, Big Blue the Ox.

In addition to the mascot, Alfred State College also features a keychain featuring the ox head mascot and the Alfred State Pioneers. The mascot symbolizes the heart and soul of Alfred State, and the community celebrates the joy, energy, and unity it brings to the campus community every day.