Rodney the Raven: he’s Carleton University’s lovable school mascot. You may have seen the bubbly bird spreading cheer during Frosh Week events, pumping up the crowd at a varsity game or posing for pictures at a charity event. But did you know that he is actually a she?
Merylee Sevilla is a fifth-year student working towards a double major in psychology and law, all while balancing a double life as Rodney the Raven, who she has been playing for two years.
Being a mascot has been a long-time aspiration for the Vancouver native.
“I wanted to be my high school mascot but I’m not very tall, and didn’t make the cut,” Sevilla says.
When she learned there was an opening to be Rodney, she says she jumped at the chance and was immediately put to work. “My tryout was actually my first event, a varsity athletics barbecue,” she says.
Sevilla says sports have always been a significant part of her life. She has two younger brothers who have been involved in sports and their parents highly encouraged participation in athletics.
Being Rodney is just another way for her to get involved.
“Before I was Rodney, I used to be the one in the front row [of games] calling out the refs for all of their bad calls,” Sevilla says.
And she maintains that even if she is not working at an event, she will still try to attend.
But being Rodney is not exactly a perfect fit for Sevilla.
“The suit is kind of big on me,” says Sevilla, who uses elastic bands to hide the extra material in the suit. The suit can also overheat with all the activity she has to do, and using the bathroom can be a challenge.
“You can’t just remove one piece, you [must] take off everything,” Sevilla says.
It also takes a special kind of person to be a mascot. “You need to have no shame whatsoever,” Sevilla says.
But a mascot should also be respectful, Sevilla says. Many of the events cater to younger audiences and though it is easy to get caught up in the excitement of a dance-off or a game against a rival school, Rodney still represents Carleton.
“You have to think about your actions,” Sevilla says.
And the number one rule to mascotting? “Don’t talk,” Sevilla says.
It is not always easy for Sevilla to balance her other responsibilities with being Rodney, but she says she considers herself lucky.
“I see being Rodney as a social life,” Sevilla says, as she gets the opportunity to work with many of her friends and colleagues in the department of recreation and athletics.
The fact that Rodney the Raven is actually a woman may ruffle some feathers, but Sevilla says she does not see it that way.
“There’s nothing in the rulebook that says I have to be a boy,” Sevilla says, and in fact, she says she finds the situation amusing.
“The number of people that hit on the mascot and the number of guys and girls that give me their numbers in my beak is hilarious,” Sevilla says.
And for the most part, the high-energy job is all fun and games.
When asked what she likes most about her job, Sevilla replied, “I get the best of both worlds. I get to be a student and at the same time I get to go to different events and meet important people.”
She also says she feels being a mascot has given her a unique Carleton experience.
“If I wasn’t a mascot, I don’t think I would have gotten to see the [different] sides of Carleton.”