Courtesy of the George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College

Every day, students walking through the lobby of Morrell Gymnasium on their way to class or any of their other commitments pass by a large glass case in which a taxidermied polar bear lies. This bear was gifted by the College’s very own Admiral Donald B. MacMillan, Class of 1898.

On January 18, 1913, a group of alumni voted to establish the polar bear as the College’s official mascot in honor of Class of 1877 alumnus Admiral Robert E. Peary, the first man to reach the North Pole. Soon after this decision, MacMillan, Peary’s former chief assistant, gifted the preserved polar bear to the College in 1918.

Now, 112 years after it was formally established as the College’s mascot, students can see the polar bear in the form of a big fluffy mascot at various college events and celebrations. Throughout the years, there have been various iterations of the polar bear costume, with two currently circulating. The costume, owned by the Athletics Department, made its debut in 2015 and was designed by Frances Dunphy, owner of Commercial Costumes in North Yarmouth.

Manager of Athletic Equipment Services Benjamin Mackey manages the storage of the mascot and is well acquainted with the intricacies of the costume, as well as its history.

“[The costume] is very well done. Inside [the head] there is a helmet for a construction worker, and if you’re gonna go outside for a game, there is a fan from a remote control car [inside],” Mackey said.

However, the costume owned by Athletics has actually not been worn since before Covid-19. The costume seen out and about these past few years belongs to the Office of Alumni Relations.

“So there’s [the Athletics] costume, [the Alumni]  one and just one other costume that will sometimes show up that is not ours,” Mackey said.

While the costume has evolved, both in style and quantity, there is history beneath the thick fur of each and every one of the costumes, connecting each person who dons the suits. Danielle Musry ’28 is one of the students who’s had the unique experience of seeing under the mask.

“It’s really fun. It’s really sweaty, but … a bunch of people come up to me, hug [me], and [I] can’t see who it is. [I] always have to guess, like, ‘Oh, is it a kid grabbing my leg?’” Musry said. “It’s also fun because you get to see so many older people get excited. Sometimes, they think it’s the same person [in the suit as their last interaction]. [They’ll ask,] ‘Are you so and so?’”

Whether at the various sporting events at the College or any of the other campus-wide celebrations, seeing the mascot often elicits very specific feelings for students. Ceren Sengun ’26 said she feels enthusiastic whenever she sees the mascot out in the wild.

“If it’s at a game, I feel very entertained. I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, let’s go!’ I feel more school spirit.… I think it’s beautiful in a way,” Sengun said.

The polar bear has a rich history at Bowdoin, from its adoption as the College’s official mascot to the various styles and uses of the costume. It remains a symbol of the College, as well as a point of pride. Every time you say the phrase “Go UBears!” or see the mascot at a college event, it’s the continuation of the College’s spirited history.