I’ll be honest, I’ve been spoiled when it comes to collegiate mascots. My parents are a Beaver and a Golden Bear, and my brother is a Demon Deacon. So, when I looked up the mascot for Grinnell, I was happy to see that we were the Squirrels, according to the Google search.
My joy was the result of the uniqueness of such a mascot. Sure, squirrels are not threatening or intimidating, but they are fun and seemed to encapsulate my ideal athletic culture at this school. I came here as an athletic recruit, and my eagerness to become a Squirrel was evident.
And then, the dreaded moment of realization. Upon my first visit, I learned that this school would not be represented by the ubiquitous rodent, but rather by the Pioneer, an explorer on the prairie that hardly exists today.
I have multiple gripes with this mascot. First, what even is a Pioneer? I feel that it is far too broad to accurately represent in a singular image. There are similar mascots, like the Oklahoma Sooners, which relates to people who prematurely entered the territory before it became a state. Our mascot is not unique to Iowa, as showcased by the Pioneers vs. Pioneers basketball game against University of Wisconsin-Platteville last year.
Second, I am slightly uncomfortable with the whole idea of a Pioneer. While it is worse to have a Native American mascot, celebrating the other side of westward expansion is also not great. It does not line up with the values held by most Grinnell students, and I don’t think it should represent this student body.
Third, it does not roll off the tongue well. “Go Pioneers!” is a weak cheer and far too syllabic. I have tried to keep up the tradition of “Give me a G! Give me a -rinnell! What’s that spell? Grinnell!” mostly because we have no great alternative. Marianne Ronan, the Cheery Checker whose fun facts are delightful, has proposed “We are! Grinnell!”, which I am a fan of. But what makes this one good is the lack of inclusion of “Pioneers.”
If I haven’t convinced you of the silliness of the Pioneer, let me instead try to sway you with the brilliance of the Squirrel. For the rest of this article, I will continue to capitalize the word Squirrel, like a conventional reference to God.
I think it’s pretty clear that Squirrels are important to this campus. Look around you on any given day! There are Squirrels everywhere — in the trees, on the ground, on Mac field, in the Humanities and Social Studies Center, teaching your classes. I could go on. There’s nothing I love more than seeing two Squirrels running and playing, chasing each other around all the livelong day.
Additionally, I refute the claim that Squirrels are not appropriately intimidating. Have you ever heard that screaming noise they make? They are loud. They are shrill. It’s hard to say what they might do. And I think all of that applies to all of us at Grinnell. They also have small, but mighty, teeth and claws. You would be loath to find a more fearsome rodent.
Let’s take a moment to consider the recent ice statue in the courtyard of the Joe Rosenfield Center `25. Was it a Pioneer? No. No it was not. It was a big, beautiful Squirrel smiling upon us from his icy perch. That speaks volumes.
Let the way we decorate our events—the billion dollar inflatable Squirrel we bring out every family weekend—guide us in the right direction.
And my final point, imagine a student dressed up in a big Squirrel mascot costume, dancing jovially to the beautiful tones of the pep band. Picture it in your mind, and you’ll know what I mean.
I’ve established the dreadfulness of the Pioneer, as well as the shining, transcendent glory of the Squirrel. I think if we all start acting as if the Squirrel is our mascot and ignoring the hell out of the Pioneer, we can bring some change about. So now, Grinnellians, let’s go forth and make a meaningful difference to our college.
Chris Zug '93 • Feb 10, 2026 at 10:58 am
While I agree with many of Henry Horn’s ideas, on this topic, my thoughts and feelings differ — greatly.
We, as Grinnellians, surely understand that words can have multiple meanings. If we can’t, how can we ever expect the broader population to. Pioneers include: Edith Renfrow Smith, Thomas Cech, Robert Noyce, Cameo Carlson, Chase Strangio, and so, so many others. These are the Pioneers we celebrate. These are the Pioneers we represent.
Our teams already subject themselves to ridicule and taunts when playing away games. I cannot imagine the insults that would rain down on them if they were to compete as the Squirrels, even as the Fighting Squirrels.
Perhaps this was done as a tongue-in-cheek piece, but in this specific moment, even that is too great a risk to ignore.
*Disclaimer: I do have a current role with the College, but the above is representative of my personal thoughts alone.