There is probably no one more familiar on campus than the infamous Herm the Lion! Being the face of EMU for the last few decades has certainly been a full job for the various individuals who have played Herm over the years.
The idea of Herm and having an official mascot began way back in 1968. In an article for The Weather Vane, EMU basketball coach Sherman Eberly commented he would “really enjoy seeing some of the mascots during the games to boost team morale.”
According to an article titled “The Unofficial History of Herm” published by EMU
communications, the original illustration of Herm was drawn by EMU class of 1981 alumni Darrel Yoder during a student art competition to create a school mascot. The previous Royals logo that had been used prior to this was a coat of arms. The life of Herm has certainly transformed a lot since that first sketch. In a recent chat with Herm, he is doing really
well and enjoying this semester since there are starting to be more and more in-person events
on campus. A typical week for Herm is very busy and eventful! Herm can usually be found
“attending Royals game day events, strolling around campus, and hanging out with President Susan Shultz Huxman!”
Being the face of EMU has allowed Herm to connect with lots of members of
the EMU community. One of his favorite things to do with his friends is to take selfies and
post pictures on Instagram, and really loves it when students share their pictures
(@emu_herm). When not attending sporting events or hanging out with his friends, Herm
loves spending time on campus. He can usually be found “hanging out in the athletics department helping to rally the rowdies during practice or game days.”
The student-athletes know Herm better than anyone and really enjoy spending time with him! Senior Skylar Hedgepeth said, “I love seeing Herm at events and I know that many of my friends, even those who do not go to EMU, get really excited to see him at my field hockey and lacrosse games. Having Herm at the game really makes it feel like the whole school is behind us when we play.”
Keeping up with such a busy schedule can be tiring and finding time to relax is hard, but Herm enjoys taking cat naps out in the sun on the main lawn to keep up his energy. He likes grabbing a snack to keep up his energy as well. Herm has a big appetite and likes all the food in the Royals Den, but typically grabs a chicken quesadilla, the dino bites, and a side of curly fries. Being Herm is no easy job, but sounds so fun! Herm could certainly use a day off, so if you would like to fill his shoes for a day just stop by or email anyone in the athletics department!
