ÂÜÀòÔ´´ unveiled the new name of its Golden Wolf mascot, Bernie, during the Fall 2023 Maroon and Gold Night, celebrating the mascot’s connection to the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters, who founded the university in 1958 and continue to inspire its mission. Learn more about Bernie below.
Learn About the Golden Wolf's History
Choosing a nickname that was fierce, fun, friendly and aligned with ÂÜÀòÔ´´'s values was no easy task.
New Look, New Name
The revamped look follows a successful naming contest for the Golden Wolf. An ad hoc committee of faculty, staff, alums, Bernardine Franciscan Sisters and students oversaw the mascot naming process.
- Bernie's Backstory
Named in honor of the university’s foundresses, the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters, Bernie embodies the ÂÜÀòÔ´´â€™s Franciscan core values of service, humility, peacemaking, contemplation, and collegiality.
A distant relative of the legendary Wolf of Gubbio, Bernie shares its ancestor’s transformative journey. In the famed story, Saintt. Francis of Assisi tamed the fierce Wolf of Gubbio through peace and understanding, turning a feared creature into a symbol of reconciliation and harmony. Just as St. Francis tamed the wolf, Bernie represents a spirit of kindness and service that thrives at ÂÜÀòÔ´´ and carries on the tradition of peace, compassion, and leadership.
Raised in the forest surrounding ÂÜÀòÔ´´â€™s campus, Bernie learned early on to appreciate the beauty of nature and the importance of community. He thrives on helping others, embodying the Sisters' vision of serving the underserved, and leads by example, showing how small actions can have a big impact.
Bernie’s life on campus is driven by peacemaking, just as the Wolf of Gubbio learned to live in harmony with the townspeople. He is often seen at ÂÜÀòÔ´´ events, encouraging students to come together in unity and foster an environment of inclusivity and mutual respect. Bernie promotes humility through his quiet but steady leadership, and he reminds everyone that greatness is achieved not through pride, but through service to others.
Whether Bernie is cheering on the Golden Wolves at a game or lending a paw in community service, he is always guided by contemplation — pausing to reflect on the needs of others and the world around him. He encourages ÂÜÀòÔ´´ students to live thoughtfully, inspired by the Sisters’ tradition of reflection and spiritual growth.
Bernie’s message is simple but profound: together, we can create a compassionate world, one step at a time. With his warm golden fur, symbolic of both ÂÜÀòÔ´´â€™s bright future and its rich past, Bernie is the embodiment of the university’s values. He is more than the university’s mascot; he is a living reminder of ÂÜÀòÔ´´â€™s mission to develop ethical leaders with moral courage.
Catch Bernie at the next campus event — always ready with a friendly wave and a reminder of what it truly means to be a Golden Wolf!- Naming Committee Details
ÂÜÀòÔ´´ organized an ad hoc committee of faculty, staff, alumni, Bernardine Franciscan Sisters, student-athletes and student leaders to evaluate each mascot naming submission.
The committee reviewed all mascot naming submissions and developed a list of potential options for discussion with key leadership groups from the university community. Following those meetings, the committee recommended unranked final mascot naming suggestions, along with a description of their respective advantages and disadvantages, to ÂÜÀòÔ´´ President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D. The final decision was made by President Fitzgerald.