Our new mascot is here and ready to slide down a snowy riverbank into some GRCC school spirit! The River Raider is inspired by GRCC’s location, energy and commitment to helping students navigate their educational journey and reach their goals.
Otters are curious, clever and quick, just like GRCC students. They adapt to change, face challenges with grit and explore new paths with a playful and determined spirit. Our kind of Raider!
The process for choosing a new mascot was based on student, employee and alumni feedback. GRCC Raiders voted on their favorite mascot finalist during the last week of September. After a week of fierce competition and 2,388 votes, a clear winner emerged! The otter received 54% of votes, with 60% of overall votes coming from students.
Meet the River Raider
The River Raider is a curious and social creature who grew up along the banks of the Grand River. As a pup, the River Raider tumbled and played in the cascading river rapids for which the city of Grand Rapids would be named. The challenging flow of the river current taught the River Raider resilience and how to adapt to quickly changing environments.
Values
Resilient
Agile, Swift
Our Raider is adept at navigating life’s challenging currents, adapting quickly to new educational paths and overcoming setbacks through patience and persistence.
Community-Focused
Social, Supportive
Otters live in “rafts” or communities to stay warm and keep from drifting apart. The River Raider views the entire GRCC community as their raft, emphasizing inclusion and collective success.
Clever
Resourceful, Quick
The River Raider is drawn to GRCC because of our focus on career readiness, practical knowledge and the ability to use tools — literal and metaphorical — to achieve a goal.
Energetic
Playful, Cheerful
The River Raider uses their high energy to keep spirits up, encourage engagement in campus life and celebrate every victory, large or small.
Fun Facts
- Favorite food: sushi, of course.
- Hobbies: swimming and diving in the summer, sliding on snowy riverbanks in the winter.
- Special skills: using polished river stones to open shells and solve small puzzles. They also give special stones to their friends.
- Favorite color: blue…maybe yellow…maybe both?
- Tip: never challenge the River Raider to a breath holding competition. They can hold their breath for eight minutes!
The River Raider Is Ready to Dive Into Campus Life
With a playful and persistent spirit, the River Raider embodies the GRCC promise of helping every student thrive and find their community. And just like our students, our mascot is ready to tackle the constant flow of life and learning and adapt to new challenges.
The Marketing and Communications team will be out and about the first week of winter semester classes with free mascot t-shirts, stickers and keychains for students. We’re also collaborating with the Bookstore and GRCC Athletics to create exclusive swag. Get ready to see the River Raider all over campus!