The Secret Life of Klondike

Klondike has been the mascot of Ohio Northern University for over 100 years, unifying the campus community with a fluffy white coat and vibrant personality. While the student body will often see Klondike hyping the crowd at sports games or chilling out at campus events, one question begs to be answered: who exactly is Klondike? 

Students received their answers on International Polar Bear Day when the identities of five senior Klondikes were announced. Whispers of curiosity spread amongst the student body in the days leading up to the festivities. Many individuals claimed to know the identity of at least one Klondike, but they all appeared to be surprised when the faces of their friends and peers were finally revealed. 

Let’s get to know more about these Klondike’s and how they were able to keep such a large secret from their closest relationships.

Chrissy Lawver

Imagine attending the same event as your closest friends while being the school mascot. Tension rises as your friends give you hugs and high fives, unaware that you are the person underneath the suit. 

That paranoia followed Chrissy Lawver throughout her past three years as Klondike. Every time she showed up to an event, she waited for the moment her friends would call her out for being Klondike. 

“There were multiple instances where I would maybe hug someone inside the suit, and I’m like, ‘oh man, they might know that that is me hugging them’ because, you know, it’s kind of the same,” said Chrissy.

Inhabiting the suit around her friends was a challenge, but Chrissy considers being Klondike as her favorite thing she has done on campus. She was able to spend quality time with the closest people in her life without them ever knowing she was there, and she reflects on those memories fondly. 

“I think back to all the times that I ran into somebody that I love or that I know and was able to hug them and high five them but not know it’s actually me…” Chrissy said. “You know, you don’t really don’t get to keep a secret from your best friend, so it was really fun to keep that secret and get to do all those fun things with them.”

Chrissy’s busy schedule made it easy for her to “disappear” because everyone assumed she was attending another one of her many organizations’ events. She noted that it was important for her to keep a low profile and be very aware of the people surrounding her so that she wouldn’t blow her cover. 

Students started connecting the dots once the Klondike Reveal invitations were released. The variety of people invited from different campus organizations singled out one highly involved individual: Chrissy. Her ceremony brought all corners of the campus community together to celebrate their Polar Bear pride.

Caiden Bush

Keeping secrets is a tricky business, especially when you are in a relationship. How do you keep such a large part of yourself hidden from someone you care about?

That was one of the greatest challenges Caiden Bush faced during his time as Klondike. Despite being with his girlfriend for over a year and a half, she never knew that he was acting as the university mascot for the past three years until he revealed his identity on International Polar Bear Day. 

“Having a girlfriend and being Klondike is a tough balance because you spent so much time with one person…” he chuckled. “You spend all that time with them and the pressure builds over time.” 

Knowing how to stretch the truth while maintaining healthy relationships is a skill Caiden has had to finesse. Rather than explicitly lying to his girlfriend and friends, he opted for “half-truths” instead. 

“Maybe it was I had a meeting,” Caiden explained, “and sure, I did have a meeting. It wasn’t the one they thought, right?”

Caiden’s secret to hiding his true identity was to be heavily involved across campus. The more extracurriculars he was participating in, the easier it was to find an alibi for where he was while in the suit. Some common excuses he used were, “I’m taking care of my dogs. I have dinner with my parents….I have a pre law meeting. I have an executive board meeting.” Caiden emphasized that high involvement on campus does not mean someone is a Klondike; rather, it was a personal strategy that helped him keep the secret.

Not every half-truth can be told to the same group of people, especially with those who know him closely. Caiden had to learn how to keep track of the alibis he gave or risk being discovered. He shared,  “… you gotta make some dots connect when they shouldn’t connect, and when they know you like that, it can raise some eyebrows.”

Being the school mascot is no easy feat, especially for a full-time student with a loaded schedule. The challenges didn’t seem to faze Caiden, though, for he reflected that his time as Klondike his favorite at Ohio Northern.

Isabelle Fisher

The Fisher twins are an iconic duo on campus. Surely, one sister wouldn’t keep a secret from the other…right?

As it turned out, Madeline was just as surprised as the rest of the student body when Isabelle removed the head of the Klondike suit onstage. Isabelle recognized the century-long tradition of keeping Klondike’s identity a mystery, so she never told her sister of the adventures she’s had as the mascot since 2022. 

“I mean, a lot of the Klondikes keep it a secret from their best friend, so I had them to kind of support me…” said Isabelle. “There were a lot of times where I almost told her, but that’s not the spirit of Klondike. I wanted to keep it a secret—keep it a surprise—because I knew that’s kind of what it’s meant to be.” 

Isabelle was nervous in the moments leading up to her Klondike reveal, but her experience as Klondike was anything but nerve-wracking. She has seen ONU students from all walks of life, from prospective Polar Pears to seasoned alumni. 

Isabelle’s fondest memories come from moments when the campus community matches Klondike’s energy. Some get nervous around the mascot, especially the Polar Paws dogs, so it brings Isabelle great joy when those around her break out of their shells and have fun with the polar bear. 

“I just want to say thank you to any student who is nice to Klondike, gets excited to see Klondike and interacts with Klondike. It just makes a really special moment and I think generates a lot of camaraderie around the community…It’s really sweet, and it adds a lot of personableness to the community.”

Ashton Church

Ashton Church has more than proved his love for Ohio Northern in the past four years. Not only does he travel over seven hours from home to attend school in Ada, but he also took on the responsibility of representing the university as Klondike. 

Becoming the mascot wasn’t always in the cards for Ashton. His time was already dedicated to a rigorous athletic schedule and high extracurricular involvement. In fact, it was by chance that he ever made it into the suit in the first place. 

“Later in my career, I wanted to just find one more thing to get involved in. I had done the Good News Bears for summer orientation…I got to ask me in the suit one time, and I just fell in love with it.”

Klondike is more than a model of Polar Bear pride. The mascot is a representation of the irreplaceable memories made with family and friends on campus. One of the most meaningful events Ashton attended as Klondike was the 2024 solar eclipse.  

You know an event is special when Klondike arrives. The beloved, fuzzy polar bear is a symbol of joy when the campus community comes together for celebration, whether that be a once-in-a-life time occasion or supporting a noble cause. Ashton found great fulfillment in sharing the cheerful spirit of Klondike with others.

Naje Wright

One lucky student was able to be Klondike during the 2024 Homecoming festivities: Naje Wright. Yes, you heard that correctly — she was dancing and hyping up the crowd on one of the most celebrated days on campus.

Naje endured the relentless autumn heat inside the heavy Klondike costume for three long hours, but she reflected that the experience was one of her favorites during her time as a mascot. She fondly remembers dancing with the Homecoming Court on the sidelines and being on the football field with President Baumann as the two kings were announced. 

“There’s only one homecoming every year, and I got to be that homecoming [bear] for the 2024-25 [year],” said Naje. “I thought that was really fun. I enjoyed that a lot.”

Naje Wright suited up as Klondike during the 2024 Homecoming festivities (Sports Information Photos/Evelyn Megery)

Naje does not consider herself an outgoing person under normal circumstances. She tends to remain on the quieter side, only revealing her true self to her closest friends. Adopting the persona of Klondike has helped Naje break out of her shell and interact with the community in ways she hadn’t before. 

One of the greatest takeaways Naje learned while being Klondike is that the mascot represents everyone. The beloved polar bear has taken on a wide variety of identities over the past century. Generations of ONU students have donned the costume, representing students from all types of backgrounds. 

“Klondike is diversity because there are so many Klondikes out there, and there are going to be so many more,” said Naje. “And so for the future Klondike’s, for the Klondike’s that are in the past, and the Klondikes that are it now, don’t lose sight of that…we’re made to represent all kinds of students — every student.”

A Lasting Legacy

Each individual who wears the Klondike suit embodies a symbol that represents generations of Polar Bears. Some secrets must remain within the circle of Klondikes to keep the mystery alive, but these five seniors have given us a brief glimpse at what it means to represent the university. Ashton, Isabelle, Chrissy, Naje and Caiden have made a lasting impact on the ONU community, creating timeless memories for those they leave behind as they graduate.