July 14, 2026 – As a high school senior, Abby Sutton ’26 needed to make a choice: play basketball at a Division III college or step into the suit as a mascot at a larger university. Trained and licensed through the National Cheerleaders Association, Sutton was one of 19 NCA-certified mascot trainers in the country, coaching junior high and high school mascots.
She chose Hendrix, where no one had yet brought the College's mascot to life. Sutton says she felt a little sad about that, but she had made her choice. Or so she thought.
During her second week on campus as a freshman, Sutton connected with Athletic Director Amy Weaver after talking with a group of cheerleaders during orientation about her idea for a mascot. “I had zero expectations that anything would happen with it,” said Sutton.
Weaver was intrigued by the idea and interested in Sutton’s unique experience as a mascot instructor. She asked Sutton to come back to her with a design. “When Abby first shared her idea, it was immediately clear this wasn't just a student with an interesting concept. It was someone with the expertise and passion to make it happen,” said Weaver.
Using her experience working with other mascots, Sutton developed initial design ideas for what she imagined a Hendrix mascot might look like. After several rounds of feedback from students and staff, Sutton and Weaver presented the concept to Hendrix President Dr. Karen Petersen. Loving the idea and the designs, Petersen committed to raising funds for the project.
With help from her network of NCA mascot professionals, Sutton chose a vendor: Street Characters, a custom mascot manufacturer based in Canada. “They were surprised that we already had a design,” Sutton noted. “They told me they typically do that work themselves.”
Sutton sent them her drawings. The company made minor adjustments for the mechanics of the suit but kept all the key elements of Sutton’s design. From there, the process moved forward rather quickly to build and ship the suit to Hendrix.
When the costume arrived, Sutton went to Weaver's office so they could both see it come to life for the first time. “It was honestly just amazing,” she said.
The final touch came from the Hendrix community, which voted on the mascot's name. Altus was selected in honor of the College's founding in Altus, Arkansas, in 1876 before its move to Conway in 1890. As Hendrix celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, the mascot's name continues to reflect the institution's earliest roots.
Altus, the official Hendrix Warriors mascot, was introduced to the community during homecoming of Sutton’s sophomore year. As is the standard with mascots, she kept her identity as Altus a secret. Only her immediate family and a few people on staff knew Abby Sutton as Altus.
Sutton laughed, “It’s still a little wild to me that my school trusted a random freshman with this project and let me run with it.” And run with it, she did!
Weaver added, “One of the things we value at Hendrix is giving students the opportunity to lead, and Abby showed us exactly what was possible when we trusted a student's vision.”
Sutton designed the suit, wrote the mascot handbook, and performed as Altus at events—all while competing as a dual-sport student-athlete. She first played basketball for Hendrix then also joined the flag football team.
What started as Sutton's vision has evolved into a growing tradition. Although she was the first to portray Altus, Sutton wasn't the only student to wear the suit during its inaugural year. Others auditioned for the role and have stepped in to perform at events when athletic commitments kept Sutton on the court. Now, two students share the role of Altus, with others joining as interest continues to grow.
“Abby's initiative embodies the kind of student experience we strive to cultivate via Hendrix,” said Petersen. “She saw an opportunity to strengthen our campus culture, brought thoughtful ideas to the table, and carried the project through to completion. Altus is more than a mascot—it represents the creativity, leadership, and sense of community our students cultivate on campus every day.”
Sutton's creativity has matched her academic drive. An exceptional student, she completed her Bachelor of Arts in Biology at Hendrix with distinction in just three years, fast-tracking her graduation while making a lasting impact on campus. Having been accepted into graduate school to study forensic science, she remained focused on her longtime goal of one day joining the FBI.
Just before crossing the stage during commencement, Sutton stepped into Altus’s orange and black boots for the last time. As she received her diploma and her identity was revealed, she was celebrated with cheers and surprising looks from friends, family, classmates, and professors.
“Doing the big reveal at graduation was a little unreal,” she laughed. “They had no idea!”
If you had told Sutton that she would bring Altus to life at Hendrix, she never would have believed it. “Meeting with the athletic director and the president, working with students and staff then with the professional mascot company,” she remembered, “it still feels a little unreal, even now.”
Petersen noted, “Abby didn't just create a mascot, she started a tradition. Watching other students embrace Altus is a reminder that one student's idea can become central to the Hendrix experience.”
As Hendrix approaches its sesquicentennial anniversary, Sutton reflects, “Knowing that Altus is part of our history means a lot. I’ll always be the designer of Altus and the first one to wear the suit. That’s a pretty incredible feeling.”
When Abby Sutton chose to play basketball at Hendrix, she did so believing she was surrendering her other passion as a mascot. Via Hendrix, she found a community that supported her along the way—the place that encourages students to follow their interests and create their own paths.
About Hendrix College
Founded in 1876, Hendrix College is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 45 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges and celebrated among the country’s leading liberal arts colleges for academic quality, engaged learning opportunities and career preparation, vibrant campus life, and value. The Hendrix College Warriors compete in 21 NCAA Division III sports. Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. Learn more at www.hendrix.edu.
“… Through engagement that links the classroom with the world, and a commitment to diversity, inclusion, justice, and sustainable living, the Hendrix community inspires students to lead lives of accomplishment, integrity, service, and joy.” –Hendrix College Statement of Purpose