To students today, Ritchie is the lovable mascot seen at campus events, games, and celebrations, but Ritchie is just the latest character in the evolution of RIT.
Up until 1957, the RIT athletic teams were uniformly called the (RIT) "Techmen," sporting blue and silver colors. After the reveal of the new Tiger mascot, they became the RIT Tigers and changed their colors to orange, white, and brown.
After proclaiming ourselves the Tigers, the school famously adopted a Bengal tiger cub named Spirit from the Seneca Park Zoo in 1963. Students raised $1,000 to adopt him. Today, that would be the equivalent of $10,500.
Spirit the Tiger Mascot with RIT Cheerleaders, 1963. RIT Photograph Collections.
Fast forward to 1989, and the College Activities Board (CAB) held a contest to rename the tiger mascot. Rick Mislan wrote “Ritchie” as his winning entry, and the rest is history. Alongside Ritchie, RIT also has “Roarie,” a white tiger that is featured during the annual FreezeFest. Plus, we have our most popular variation, “Balloon Ritchie.” Balloon Ritchie is a collection of balloons and a Sharpie that was displayed at a campus event and quickly became a meme. Balloon Ritchie became a popular icon for students, and now you can find merch with his photo on T-shirts and stickers. No matter the name or variation, Ritchie will always be our beloved and energetic mascot.
Left Photo: Roarie at Freezefest
Right Photo: Balloon Ritchie
About the author
My name is Hannah Yandoh, and I am a Fine Arts Studio MFA student here at RIT. I am from Winthrop, New York and my studio practice focuses on painting, sculpture, and ceramics. Outside of the studio, I love cooking, reading, and traveling. I hope to share some insight into life on and off campus, so follow along!
