We followed around Rocky for a day to see what he does when he's not at work as Montclair State's biggest fan and to see if we could uncover the person under the feathers. Click here to see if we were successful.

Born:
1989, Montclair State University

Raised:
On campus

Resides:
Student Center

Family:
The 17,000 people who make up the Montclair State community

Hobbies:
Flying, hunting and attending MSU games

Favorite sport to watch:
Any that involves an MSU team

Favorite Movies:
"The Birds," "Black Hawk Down" and "Bird on Wire."

Favorite Book:
"Lonesome Dove"

Favorite Television Shows:
"The Partridge Family" and "Falcon Crest."

Concert Attended:
"Wings," "The Eagles" and "The Yardbirds."

A Montclair State student donned talons and wings for the first time in 1989, unleashing Montclair State University's official mascot, to prey on rivals who dared wander into its territory. The results were immediate: soon, the opponents of MSU began speaking in fearful whispers about the Red Hawk known today simply as Rocky.

Since then several students and staff, men and women, have assumed the mantle of the Red Hawk, with a single mission--to inject spirit into the Montclair State community. The Red Hawk is an incomparable crowd pleaser, skilled in virtually all forms of motivation.

"The fans feed off the Red Hawk's energy," said Mike Scala, director of Sports Information. "But it's also a friendly bird. Rocky makes people happy and enjoys interrupting its antics to pose for a picture with children."

Athletic Director Holly Gera said the Red Hawk adds excitement to the University's sporting events. "We've come to count on Rocky's presence," she said. "His visibility pumps up both players and fans."

The mystique of the Red Hawk suit is that the guise is the "real" personality of its wearers. The daytime role of mild-mannered students and staff is actually the disguise. Their daytime personas are carefully crafted to divert any suspicion that these unassuming members of the campus community are, by event or game time, the Red Hawk.

"I get rid of inhibitions in the suit," said the original Red Hawk, an alumnus who now is on staff and still occasionally wears the suit. "I can do Marx Brothers-style comedy without the fear of embarrassing myself because nobody knows who I am."

Greg Brown of Student Activities, the Red Hawk's caretaker, is entrusted with knowing who hides behind the mask. He keeps the suit hidden under lock and key deep in the recesses of the Student Center Annex. "I will never reveal the true identity of the Red Hawk because that would render its mystique and power useless," he said.

Brown said the Red Hawk suit is undergoing an extreme makeover. A new sleek Red Hawk that will debut this year will have more muscle, a more fierce, yet still friendly expression, and a new pullover jersey marked by its familiar bold red "M."

Brown says it takes a unique person to assume the persona of Montclair State's mascot. "I never go out to recruit. Candidates must approach me," he said. "In addition to that they have to be fun and reliable."

Reporting to Student Activities with a dotted line to Athletics, the Red Hawk is well versed in multi-tasking. More than a cheerleader, Montclair State's number one fan also descends on campus to support non-sporting events, appearing at pep rallies, opening days, grand openings and leadership conferences. Also an advocate of community outreach, the Red Hawk joined New Jersey politicians for the annual train ride to Washington in 2002, has attended political rallies in Trenton and, in the summer, honored one of its peers at a mascot birthday party. Rocky also has a cousin at the Turtleback Zoo in West Orange. The two will get together on campus on Saturday, Oct. 25, during the football team's last home game of the season.

Although it is neither salaried nor a member of the AFT, Rocky is the only employee in the history of the University to have two structures on campus named after it--the Red Hawk Deck and the Red Hawk Diner--while still an active member of the community. More than that, this University icon also appears on currency--Red Hawk Dollars. The Red Hawk also gets into most campus events for free and is given special privileges at sporting events.

"During games I get to heckle, and often beat up on players and officials on the field or on the floor," said one of the five people on campus who wear the suit this year. "Fans normally get thrown out for doing those things."

But those privileges do not come without peril. "We have to maintain peak performance and stay upbeat even during the hottest days of summer from inside that sweltering, itchy suit" a mascot revealed. "And it's very difficult to sign autographs with a wing, but I love to make children laugh."

One thing is certain. This extraordinary suit is more than just feathers and felt. In that moment when they slip into it, wearers become the Red Hawk, prepared to embark on the winged crusader's mission--to celebrate Montclair State University.

Is there a colleague you'd like to nominate for "On the Job?" If so, e-mail his/her name along with a brief description of how he/she contributes to the campus community, to Jennifer Fusco at fuscoj@mail.montclair.edu.

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