Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           985-549-2341/fax 985-549-2061
  Date:   05/16/02
      Contact:                           Angey Saucier  132

Editors: Photos accompany release
ROOMIE TO ROOMIE: SOUTHEASTERN MASCOTS MEET FACE TO FACE
     HAMMOND   Jonathan Gomez arrived late to the recent Southeastern Louisiana
University College of Nursing and Health Studies honors convocation in April, hoping he hadn't
missed a friend's scholarship award. Instead, he was just in time for a big surprise.
     The senior marketing major from Slidell and a graduate of Salmen High School was
about to meet a great predecessor. Turns out that one of the major honorees at the annual
convocation was Dr. Leonard Fanning, a Foundation Professor, author and lecturer in the field of
exercise science at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Fanning, a 1964 Southeastern
health and physical education graduate, was on hand to be honored as the college's first
"outstanding alumnus." 
     So, on the night of the honors convocation, he was happy not just to be honored by his
alma mater, but to meet his direct descendent   Jonathan Gomez. It can now be revealed that
Gomez, who is graduating May 18 with a degree in marketing, has worn the suit of
Southeastern's lion mascot for the past three years.
     By tradition, the identity of the student inside the suit is a close kept secret. Southeastern
students chose the king of beasts as their mascot in 1931.
      "I was part of the team that decided on the tradition that Roomie would remain
anonymous, at least during his reign," Fanning said.
     Fanning attended Southeastern when the university was still Southeastern Louisiana
College, the student body barely topped 2,000, and students living on campus had to be back in
their dorms by 9 or 10 p.m. An active student, Fanning was president of the sophomore class and
a gymnast for the Southeastern gymnast show team.
     When the Student Government Association decided to add a mascot to the athletic events
 and buy the first Roomie costume, they roped Fanning into the role. "They said I would be a
natural for the part," he said.
     The SGA had a role in Gomez gaining the job, too. The organization asked him, one of its
members, if it could use his truck during Homecoming 1998. 
     "I was throwing pom-poms to the crowd in the university center when a cheerleader
approached me and said, 'You would be perfect for Roomie,'" said Gomez. The cheerleader
meant that he would be perfect now. 
     "I was thrown into the costume that day and did whatever came to mind," Gomez said.
     For the rest of the semester, Gomez filled in as Roomie for two other students who had
been hurt in the line of duty. In spring 1999, he was asked to officially try out to suit up as the
official mascot.
     "I was the only one to show up" for tryouts, Gomez said.
     Since then, he's been the reigning Roomie, a near full-time job for which he is awarded a
partial scholarship.
     "I never would have thought in a million years that I would be doing something like this
and enjoying it," said Gomez. "I guess it's one of those examples of being in the right place at
the right time."
     Alumni Association Director Kathy Pittman, who has often called on Roomie's services
at alumni and campus events, said "Jonathan has had the enthusiasm to make students and
community members feel that Roomie is real. He's been a great mascot, one that Roomie Wilson
himself would be proud of."  
     Even with decades and multiple Roomies in between, both Gomez and Fanning agree 
that being Roomie was fun.
     "Entertaining the crowd, joking with the Lionettes and the band, traveling with the
cheerleaders -- those were the good times," said Fanning.
     Both are also excited about the return of Southeastern football in slated for the fall of
2003, when Roomie's antics will once again be seen on the sidelines of Strawberry Stadium.
Fanning has heard a rumor that there might be a "Roomie reunion" at the first football
Homecoming game.
     "All I want to do after retiring Roomie," said Gomez. "is to be at one football game as
Roomie, just one."
     Gomez has already been replaced with a new Roomie. But if the latest student behind the
Roomie mask needs an occasional substitute, maybe Gomez will be available. He hopes to return
to Southeastern to pursue a master's degree in business administration. 
-SLU-
Press release available online at www.selu.edu/news/spring02.html