Rowdy has a new lease on life thanks to an updated mascot suit and a closet full of BSC gear, formal wear, and seasonal accessories. The new look was funded by a gift from AT&T, thanks to BSC Trustee Joelle James Phillips ’89, president of AT&T Tennessee, and Wayne Hutchens MPPM ’89, president of AT&T Alabama.

This year, we’re celebrating 40 years of beloved panther and Birmingham-Southern mascot, Rowdy. Yes, the panther has been a part of the College for much longer, but it took a “Name the Panther” contest and a promising cash reward to finally identify our fearless feline.

Flashback to 1980, during basketball season: David Rikard was in his second year at BSC and remembers walking through the student center, seeing a contest entry box for naming the mascot, and entering on a whim.

“I was perpetually broke at that point, and I wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to make a little money,” Rikard says.

As he sorted through possible options to submit, he thought about college swimmer (and future Olympic gold medalist) Ambrose “Rowdy” Gaines, paired with a cheer he remembered from Vestavia Hills High School about “getting rowdy.”

Not too long after he submitted his idea, a friend shouted at Rikard across the quad and told him he’d just won the “Name the Panther” contest, which was announced at that night’s basketball game. Rowdy was officially named, beginning a 40-year legacy at the College.

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Rikard transferred from BSC later that academic year, but he has always treasured the community and memories he made on the Hilltop. His three terms at the College were filled with great friendships, especially among his Sigma Alpha Epsilon brothers, as well as academic challenges.

“I was the first person in my family to go to college, and everything was brand new and overwhelming,” Rikard says. “I remember a level of consideration, compassion, and empathy from my professors that went beyond the standard. I gained a confidence to trust myself.”

He ended up graduating from the University of Alabama and, after moving away for years, eventually returned to Birmingham. When he moved back, he met up with fraternity brother Rev. Keith Thompson ’83, who at that time was the pastor of First United Methodist Church (he is currently the pastor at Canterbury United Methodist Church.)

Thompson encouraged Rikard to join the First United Methodist community, where he’s still an active member and has reconnected with quite a few BSC connections from his time on the Hilltop, forming a meaningful and lasting community.

“None of that would have ever happened without those three terms at Birmingham-Southern,” he says. “At that point in my life, it was the family that I needed. It was a real privilege to make those connections.”

And along with these friendships, Rikard never forgot about Rowdy. A few years ago, he did some research to see if BSC still used the Rowdy name and was delighted to see that it stuck over the years.

“It’s become something I’m proud of – that I left a little bit of a mark,” he says. “And now, if I ever meet somebody who’s from BSC, I always let them know that I named the panther.”

This story was published in the Fall/Winter 2020 issue of ’Southern, BSC’s alumni magazine.

If you have ideas for our next issue of ’Southern, please email [email protected]. We always welcome stories about outstanding people from the BSC community.