Shares her School Spirit
03/23/2022
Kelly Armentrout '24
Kelly Armentrout shares her spirit at Bluffton University
Kelly Armentrout ’24, an exercise science major and double minor in coaching and wellness, chose Bluffton to be close to her home in Lima, Ohio. However, she found herself bringing the school spirit she developed in high school to her university activities.
“I think school spirit is about getting more people involved and appreciating Bluffton more,” said Armentrout, a Shawnee High School graduate. “We want to try and get more students to come to school and sporting events. The more you get students involved, the more it optimizes school spirit.”
In high school, Armentrout and others amped up their school spirit committee by creating a social media account and helping out at pep rallies. At Bluffton, Armentrout became one of the first members of the recently established spirit committee.
Armentrout was also in the J. Denny Beaver mascot suit until her reveal in January of this year. After knowing some beavers from previous years, Armentrout decided to take on the same experience, too.
“When you’re the person in the suit, you’re not yourself anymore, you’re the beaver,” said Armentrout. “You have to act and portray yourself as the beaver instead of being you with a costume on.”
She found it hard to keep the secret from her friends and the volleyball team but loved the excitement of people always trying to guess who was in the suit.
Through her coaching minor, Armentrout brings spirit and enthusiasm to her internship coaching a 17s Team for Trailblazers Volleyball Club, located in Lima.
Coaching has allowed her to learn how to maintain a structure for practices and find weaknesses during competition which can be developed into future strengths. It’s also allowed her to rekindle relationships with some former teammates from her high school days.
On campus, Armentrout is also on the volleyball team, a President's Ambassador and member of Marbeck Center Board, Bluffton’s student-run, campus activities board. She has two campus jobs working with intramurals and Marbeck mail desk.
“Bluffton has brought me further out of my shell,” said Armentrout. “The family-like support system I have here pushed me to become who I want to be.”