{"id":45416,"date":"2020-04-02T06:37:38","date_gmt":"2020-04-02T10:37:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=45416"},"modified":"2020-04-07T14:43:58","modified_gmt":"2020-04-07T18:43:58","slug":"herm-ready-to-pass-the-torch-of-royal-pride-to-next-blue-lion-mascot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2020\/herm-ready-to-pass-the-torch-of-royal-pride-to-next-blue-lion-mascot\/","title":{"rendered":"Herm ready to ‘pass the torch’ of Royal Pride to next blue lion mascot"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Eastern Mennonite University has announced the retirement of Herm<\/strong>, the school\u2019s mascot, effective at the end of the 2019-20 academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Known less by his official moniker of Herm the Fourth, Herm is completing his 22nd year as the biggest (and most loveable) fan and cheerleader of the EMU Royals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt has been a great honor to serve the EMU community for the past 22 years,\u201d the silent Herm wrote in his resignation letter. \u201cI will always cherish my time here, cheering on our Royals athletic teams, supporting this community’s amazing events, and frolicking on this beautiful campus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are some talented blue lions out there ready to step in. They are young and have a lot to learn, of course, but the Royal pride and enthusiasm is there. I see a bright future ahead.” <\/p>\u2014Herm<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A nationwide search for the next Loyal Lion has already begun, with an anticipated start date of fall 2020. EMU officials plan to extend an invitation to Herm to meet the new member of the Royals pride at a \u201cpassing of the torch\u201d ceremony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The general public knows Herm from EMU sporting events, but he has also spread cheer and community, spirit and smiles at other EMU events such as Homecoming, LovEMU Day, new student orientation, residence life events, and really anywhere a happy Royal has been needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herm wrote that many things had changed since he started at EMU in 1998, including his ability to keep up with today\u2019s students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy speed and agility are no longer a match for today\u2019s athletes, and with my limited tech skills I have fallen behind in my abilities to stay \u2018hip\u2019 with our student body,\u201d he said with an ironically dated reference to current lingo. \u201cI feel the time has come for me to walk away from the Royal throne and pass the torch to the next Loyal Lion in line for EMU. Thank you to all of the students, faculty, staff, and administration that have become great friends over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herm will continue with his regular duties through June, with his final months also featuring a Virtual Appreciation Tour on EMU social media accounts. After that, Herm doesn\u2019t have any plans other than to \u201ctake a hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains and hopefully enjoy some beach somewhere.\u201d He also didn\u2019t rule out taking up residence at any retirement communities near EMU\u2019s campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Herm hangs out with new EMU president Susan Schultz Huxman in 2017.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

“Herm, we will miss you!\u201d said President Susan Schultz Huxman<\/strong>. \u201cWhat an inspiration you have been for our campus community for kids and kids at heart alike. You gave me a great introduction to EMU in 2017, as we rode around in the golf cart all day and you introduced me to so many. Thanks for all the memories at sporting events, Fall Festival, LovEMU Day and more! We wish you well in retirement as you do … well, whatever blue lions do in retirement!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Eastern Mennonite University has announced the retirement of Herm, the school\u2019s mascot, effective at the end of the 2019-20 academic year. Known less by his official moniker of Herm the ... read more about Herm ready to ‘pass the torch’ of Royal Pride to next blue lion mascot<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45422,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[266,4516,5583,14715,17562,8845,5642,5975],"tags":[],"feature":[17427,17426,17241],"class_list":["post-45416","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-athletics","category-campus-community","category-campus-life","category-digest","category-emu-at-lancaster","category-faculty-and-staff","category-human-resources","feature-emu-home-page-feature","feature-myemu-feature","feature-news-feature"],"yoast_head":"\nHerm ready to 'pass the torch' of Royal Pride to next blue lion mascot - EMU News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2020\/herm-ready-to-pass-the-torch-of-royal-pride-to-next-blue-lion-mascot\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Herm ready to 'pass the torch' of Royal Pride to next blue lion mascot - EMU News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Eastern Mennonite University has announced the retirement of Herm, the school\u2019s mascot, effective at the end of the 2019-20 academic year. 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