Believe it or not, FIU students weren’t always Panthers.
From the founding of the University in 1965 to 1987, we were represented by a wide-mouthed sun in yellow trousers known as The SunBlazer.
We’ve heard talk about The SunBlazer possibly making an appearance at a homecoming event and have some clues that lead us to believe it may be accurate.
President Mark B. Rosenberg appeared in a Twitter video in which he explained the former mascot’s origin while wearing a retro t-shirt with the SunBlazer logo, which is being sold at the Bookstore.
The SunBlazer’s return would be a great way for the University to reconnect with alumni by bridging the gap between old and new FIU generations.
To these ends, a fan group named after our former mascot has been working hard this semester.
The SunBlazers have been involved in pre-game pep rallies and are trying to appeal to school nostalgia by bringing back FIU’s old symbols.
They’ve been energetic and supportive of our football team and are encouraging students to attend homecoming events and games.
As of Friday, Sept. 28, this rumor is unconfirmed; but we hope it’s true
We consider this to be a positive development since any school that wishes to be successful must stay in touch with its roots.
Such reflections help us understand how far we’ve come.
We started out as a modest school, with no law, architecture or medical buildings; but with great hunger and determination.
The SunBlazer represents our school’s pioneers; our trailblazers who turned their vision into one of the finest schools in America.
Photo by FIU Magazine
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