UPDATED – 4-25-22

Email reply to SSN –

We are not planning any athletic programs.  The mascot was introduced to bring a fun identity for IU students since we are on the PFW campus with the Mastodon everywhere.   She will be our campus ambassador when we are out in the community or at events on campus.

Ann M. Obergfell, JD, RT(R ),  FASRT, Associate Vice Chancellor – Academic Affairs and Operations, Indiana University Fort Wayne

(4-22-22) Indiana University Fort Wayne is now officially the home of the Red Foxes. Ruby Red Fox was introduced this past week as the school’s mascot in a ceremony at Neff Hall. The mascot was chosen last August with input from the campus and community.

In August...IU Fort Wayne Associate Chancellor Ann Obergfell said-

 “We’re finally grabbing our own identity. Our campus is very unique and that is what makes us special. Our students share many campus amenities with Purdue Fort Wayne like housing, student activities and career development, but are very excited to have a mascot that represents IU Fort Wayne.”

Yesterday she said…

“That whole campaign came from my team here. They actually went out in the community and asked for people to send in ideas on who could be our mascot. They came back, the committee looked at it and identified four, we sent that out for a vote, and so the community — including the Fort Wayne community — and the campus community selected the red fox.”

Why the split with Purdue?

In 2016, the Indiana General Assembly reviewed a staff report, “Report on Role and Governance of IPFW,” recommending a split. The change was implemented on July 1, 2018, and IPFW was reorganized into two separate universities: Indiana University Fort Wayne and Purdue Fort Wayne. It was decided that IUFW would have a lower profile and focus on health sciences. Purdue would handle all other academic programs.

Obergfell said that since the split from Purdue the university has grown from about 300 students a year ago to a little over 1,000 presently.

The branding rights after the split went with Purdue along with the D I athletic program.

IU Fort Wayne officially began it’s first academic term August 20, 2018.

IU Regional Campus Sites

The other Regional Campuses of Indiana University are IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend and IU Southeast. They all have athletics and are affiliated with the NAIA.

Will the next step be for IU Ft.Wayne to start and develop an athletic department? The five other regional campuses presently all have established athletics. The difference for IUFW is that they share the campus with Purdue Ft. Wayne, who also has the athletic facilities under their control.

So will Ruby Red Fox ever have a chance to cheer on volleyball, basketball or any other athletic team in the future?

It seems that Purdue Ft. Wayne was the big winner in the split, while IUFW seems to be the ‘red headed‘ step-child in the 2018 split.

Did you know?

IPFW paid a marketing company $80,000 to help it rebrand as the school transitions to a new name and identity as Purdue University Fort Wayne.

Advertisement