Scarlet Raptor makes its debut in Camden
Archived article from Sep 28, 2001
By Douglas Frank
The Camden campus formally unveiled its new Scarlet Raptor Saturday, Sept. 22. Between the Homecoming men's and women's soccer games, the mascot handed out miniature stuffed raptors to commemorate the opening of the new athletic fields in Community Park.
The red bird is the brainchild of Cal Maradonna, associate provost, dean of students and unabashed promoter of Rutgers' southern campus, who actually donned the costume at its first unofficial sighting last spring.
The experience, however, left him exhausted and "roasting" in the suit, and convinced him that such activities should best be left to students. "They asked me to pose for pictures on the hot field, and I thought I was going to explode."
But his willingness to "fry for dear ol' Rutgers" is just one example of the lengths this dedicated administrator will go to promote and market his beloved campus.
T-shirts, caps, mugs, lapel pins, balloons, soft drinks and snacks have borne the stamp of Rutgers-Camden, thanks to Maradonna.
"Many people don't realize there is a Rutgers in Camden, even today," he said. "We try to do things for students to help them be proud of Rutgers and to encourage other young people to come here."
Maradonna will be aiming for alumni in the fall, urging them to wear something scarlet or something that proclaims "Rutgers" on Nov. 10, the date the university's charter was signed in 1766.
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