Fort Wayne, Ind. – This IU Day, Indiana University Fort Wayne introduced its new red fox mascot, Ruby. Ruby was introduced to the community by Mayor Tom Henry, Don the Mastodon from Purdue Fort Wayne, Johnny Tincap from The TinCaps, and The Mad Ant from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

Indiana University Fort Wayne opened the mascot search to the public in November 2020. In early 2021, the campus narrowed down the search to the Red Foxes, Saint Bernards, Summiteers and River Otters. The community voted on the final four, and in August 2021 IU Fort Wayne officially became the Red Foxes.

“When the community voted on the red foxes, we saw an opportunity to really make our mascot someone special,” said Jake Huffman, assistant director of student engagement, success, and retention. “Ruby’s personality encompasses our student demographic - health science majors with a heart for the community.”

Originally from DENver, Indiana, Ruby is a “healthcare hero” that stands 3.5 tails tall. She is smart, sneaky, sarcastic, and sweet, and has a heart for dancing, volunteering, and playing in the snow. Her favorite show is Grey’s Anatomy and favorite song is “Fox on the Run” by Sweet. Ruby even comes with her own collectible trading card commemorating her introduction.

"We’re finally grabbing our own identity,” said Huffman. “Our campus is very unique and that is what makes us special. We are excited to have a mascot that represents IU Fort Wayne’s staff, students, and the community.”