It must be good to be J. Denny

Last night did not disappoint. Well maybe the last-second 3-pointer by the opponents wasn’t so good, but the long-anticipated “beheading” of the 2011-12 J. Denny Beavers at halftime was golden.

It was fun to watch the anticipation grow on campus this past week. With each passing day the speculation became more intense.

In the past two years, J. Denny has become an important part of campus culture. He welcomes first-year students at special recruiting events. It’s not a MCB party unless J. Denny is there. Of course he supports our athletics teams. He was a hit at the 2011 Mennonite Conference. And he’ll be making a special appearance at the Ohio Music Educator Association conference alumni breakfast later this month.

After the beheading, former and current J. Dennys and their mentors gathered on the Founders stage for photos and an afterglow. What a great fraternity. There were hugs, laughter, more hugs, glowing faces.

Now the search begins for next year’s J. Denny Beaver. Who will answer the call? There is no “type” of student who excels as the mascot, music major, honor student, athlete. Although, obviously, these “types” of students are not mutually exclusive at Bluffton!
You could be J. Denny…

It must be such a rush to be J. Denny Beaver; to be part of this tight group, with shared secrets, unwaving support, understanding and common experiences. I’m honored to be just on the edge of this fraternity, trusted on a “need to know basis.” I've helped in emergencies, turned my office into craft central as the big black reveal boxes were decorated.

As Robin Bowlus, J. Denny Beaver’s “handler,” posted on Facebook earlier this week: “Best ‘other duties as assigned’ job." Ever.