Why a Ram? Why not a different mascot?
When the University of Mobile — known as Mobile College at the time—first opened, it lacked a school mascot, color, annual, newspaper and traditions. It was up to the first freshman class to give the Christian university an identity.
Among other possibilities for a mascot — knights, pioneers, bucks, elephants and falcons — the Rams won the student vote. Students also chose maroon and white for school colors, named the yearbook the Rampage and the school newspaper the Jubilee. You may be thinking that the word “Jubilee” does not relate to a ram, but it does. The Hebrew origin of the word relates to the use of a ram’s horn as a trumpet to proclaim the jubilee year.
Simply choosing the mascot was not enough for these students. They wanted a live ram. From 1963 to the late 1970s, there were four rams that lived on campus: Ramses I, Ramses II, Ramses III and Ramses IV. According to Tom Holms, class of 1967 and current Board president of the ARC of Mobile, the name was a result of students searching for a name that included the word “ram” while taking a western civilization course that included the pharaohs of ancient Egypt.
In 1985 the university decided to have a student wear a mascot costume instead of using a live ram. The mascot was referred to as “MC Ram” (for Mobile College) and did not look the best. In the early 1990s, the university invested in a high-quality mascot costume. It is the one we know and love today. The mascot is now referred to as “Mac the Ram.” In 2005, Mac’s girlfriend “Molly” made her debut.
The class of 2008 presented the university with an aluminum statue of a ram. It is located at the triangle of land between Weaver Hall and the residential areas. It is a great spot for photos!
Now that you know why the University of Mobile chose the Rams, it is time to ask yourself the same question. Why a Ram? Why be a Ram? The answer is easy for me. I am a Ram, because I love this school. I love the beautiful campus, the friendly community, the relationships I have built and how professors and faculty care for the students.
Go Rams!
Sydney Snow is a University of Mobile 2022 graduate with a double major in English and Strategic Communications and a minor in Spanish. During her senior year, Sydney interned with UM’s Office for Marketing and Public Relations. Today, she works at the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission with the Employment and Economic Development Services department. Her focus is on the Senior Community Service Employment Program.