Bluffton University

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J. Denny and Jenny Beaver renamed: Boeke, Irwin, Eachus, Miller, Staton

Perhaps one of the most tightly guarded secrets at Bluffton University is the identities of J. Denny and Jenny Beaver. Even the closest of friends, roommates and family members of the students who portray Bluffton’s mascots may have no idea who is actually in the suit. However, another generation of Beavers concluded their mascot mission. The identities of the Beavers were revealed between the Jan. 28, 2023, men’s and women’s home basketball games against Transylvania in Sommer Center.

Laura Irwin ’23

Wanting to try something new and adventurous, Laura Irwin ’23, a music education major from Glenmont, Ohio, found herself suiting up as the Jenny Beaver mascot for more than the typical one year! She has kept her identity a secret for the past three years.

“It was an experience that spurred personal growth,” said Irwin. “This experience took me out of my comfort zone by interacting with people I normally would not interact with, but I loved every minute of it.”

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UPDATE This January 31 event has been cancelled.

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Dr. Walt Paquin, professor of social work at Bluffton University, will present the Colloquium, “Developing 'New' Tools for Student Learning,” at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3 in Centennial Hall’s Stutzman Lecture Hall. 

This presentation focuses on the projects that Paquin has explored over his 2021-22 sabbatical. Paquin has significantly revised the ‘Learning in Community’ course to increase student engagement in the Lima community. He also discovered ways to enhance student engagement and “learning activities” throughout the Social Work curriculum at Bluffton University.

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On January 28, between the men’s and women’s basketball games against Transylvania University, Bluffton University will reveal which students are in the J. Denny and Jenny Beaver suits. The men’s game starts at 2:00 p.m. in the Sommer Center, and the reveal is expected to take place at approximately 3:15 p.m.

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During Bluffton University’s Jan. 24 Presidential Leadership Forum, “Journey to Leadership,” Sharetta Smith spoke about the challenges as well as the successes on her path to becoming Lima’s first African American mayor and first female mayor in its nearly 200-year history.

Her journey included hardships such as being raised by essentially a single mother while her father was incarcerated, raising three children as a young, single parent, and surviving cancer in her late 20s.

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Head Men's Basketball Coach Guy Neal will retire from Bluffton University at the end of his 34th season. The athletic department will host a public recognition for Neal's accomplishments on Saturday, Feb. 4, following the men's basketball game in Sommer Center.

Neal is the winningest coach in the history of Bluffton University men's basketball with 392 wins. In the last three decades, Neal has coached the team to multiple conference tournaments in both the Association of Mideast Colleges (AMC) and the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC), which is Bluffton's current conference. In addition, Neal was named the AMC Coach of the Year in just his third season as head coach, and he has been named HCAC Coach of the Year twice. He has coached three All-Americans, two HCAC players of the year and two of his teams earned top 25 rankings.

"I want to thank my past and present colleagues in the Bluffton University athletic department who have been so supportive over the years," said Neal. "I also want to thank the many outstanding assistant coaches I have had the privilege to work with and have contributed in their own ways to the players and program. A big thank you to the long list of players who have worked so hard to develop our successful program and culture at Bluffton. Most importantly, I want to thank my wife, Diane, and children, Erin and Tyler, for their love and support for the 34 years of this journey!"

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