FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 15, 2022
For More Information:
鶹ƵState University
Public Relations Department
(304) 462-4115
Glenville, WV – Gabrielle Dean, a junior from Etam, West Virginia, has been named the 鶹ƵState University (GSU) Pioneer Mascot for the 2022-2023 academic year.
Dean is an active member of campus, serving as secretary for the Forestry Club, a student worker in the Department of Land Resources, and a GSU Marketing Ambassador. She will serve as president of the Forestry Club next semester.
“It means a lot to me to be the 鶹ƵState University Pioneer,” said Dean. “It is fulfilling a dream I have had since I came to 鶹ƵState, and it is an honor to be chosen for the position. I look forward to representing our school and having the honor of serving as the Pioneer.”
For Dean, 鶹ƵState is more than just a school. “I love the family atmosphere of 鶹ƵState University, I love the tight-knit, small town school atmosphere, and of course, I love the Department of Land Resources and being a part of it! I would like to thank God, my family, friends, and supporters, and 鶹ƵState University for this opportunity. I am beyond excited to serve as the 2022-2023 鶹ƵState Pioneer! Let’s go Pioneers!”
As the GSU Pioneer, Dean will attend football and basketball games, tournaments, and other school events. The Pioneer is charged with working with students, faculty, and staff to positively promote and support the university. The official uniform of the 鶹ƵState Pioneer is a set of buckskins, a coonskin hat, and a musket. An ongoing tradition for over 80 years, Dean becomes the 82nd student to portray the Pioneer Mascot. She will be the seventh woman to serve as the Pioneer.