Invasion of Privacy: Becoming Victor E. Knight
Photo courtesy of the Geneseo Website
Victor E. Knight making a visit to a transfer student orientation session and greeting new Geneseo students.
For schools nationwide, mascots are a vital symbol of community and motivation for its students, symbolizing the greater whole of the school and becoming a vital component of sports fan and player lifestyles. At SUNY Geneseo, we are lucky enough to have one of the most iconic mascots, having won the annual SUNY Mascot Madness in both 2016 and 2018, Victor E. Knight; aptly named for his appearance as a human wearing a medieval knight’s armor.
This week in The Lamron office, we had the pleasure of speaking with one of the faces behind Knight on becoming such a beloved icon and the importance of school mascots as a whole. One of the nice things about a mascot is that they could really be anyone.
Speaking on becoming Victor, the interviewee states, “To really get into the role of it, I wouldn’t say that it takes a lot. You just have to know what you are getting yourself into.” Not only does this include some mild discomfort and a grapple with not being able to talk while in character, but it also speaks to the character’s spirit.
“You would be surprised at how many steps there is to getting that thing [the Victor E. Knight costume] on,” they state, telling a story of their first experience putting on the suit. For the Knight-hopefuls, however, good news comes in the report that, “For a mascot costume, it does not smell.” Layers aside, overheating or some unfortunate literal run-ins, as the costume can be rather difficult to see in and requires another person to help Knight get around, are also among things to prepare yourself for.
Overall, they spoke of a positive experience assuming Victor's role. “Seeing everyone else’s reactions” is the standout aspect of becoming the mascot. The anonymity offered by the suit gives room for the funny and heartwarming interactions a mascot has on the day-to-day. From taking pictures with unknowing acquaintances/friends to engaging with children competing for high-fives or fist-bumps in the suit, there is never a dull moment, “It’s like being an A-list celebrity…It’s not really an everyday occurrence when Victor is around, but when Victor’s around, the spirit is there.”
While interviewing, it was obvious to see how highly they think of the symbol of mascots and how our own Victor E. Knight fits into that. “Victor E. Knight, it’s not only the college’s mascot, it’s what you are going to see out and about on campus…Victor E. Knight is, essentially, what we rally around. It’s our athletics, it’s our academics, it’s the programs we offer— it’s our mascot costume…We’re the Geneseo Knights.”
Not only does the mascot, more broadly, have the ability to bring college members together and turn the group into #OneKnight, but the costume itself, of the knight, is poignant unto itself.
The knight is a symbol of overcoming and hard work, “You know, the knights slay the dragons…It’s just that spirit of what Geneseo students do. They prevail every single day, they work hard at what they do, and they always find a way to win.”