Gina De Young hangs out with Victor E. Bulldog III.

She manages his calendar, walks him, takes him to veterinary appointments, sporting events and helps him bring joy to students, faculty and staff as well as the broader Fresno community.

De Young graduated from Fresno State in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in Media, Communications and Journalism. After graduating, she went to work as a communications specialist for the Girl Scouts.

“It was such a unique opportunity to empower young people in the Central Valley,” De Young said. “Being able to see how your hard work directly affects people is such a rewarding experience.”

Now, back at Fresno State since fall 2019 as the live mascot program coordinator, De Young is researching master’s programs. “Of course, I’m partial to Fresno State,” she said.

Born and raised in Fresno, De Young is engaged to Blake Zante, whom she met while they were both students at Fresno State and involved in Associated Students, Inc.

“I love living here and getting to learn new things about our community,” De Young said. "My fiancé, Blake, and I have been enjoying planning our wedding even amid the coronavirus craziness. We met at Fresno State and we’re so grateful for the experiences we’ve had that brought us together. We plan to be a Fresno State family for life!”

When not working, De Young likes to bake, practice yoga, spend quality time with family and embark on travel adventures with friends. She had a goal to travel somewhere each month with destinations based on time and budget although recently those plans have coincided with stay-at-home orders.

Campus News caught up with De Young to ask her a few questions about her work life with Victor E.

What do you do at Fresno State and what do you like about it?
I am the live mascot program coordinator. I manage and help execute everything that revolves around our school mascot, Victor E. Bulldog III. I help Victor E. stay connected with the community through social media and appearances. Whether he’s visiting in person or virtually, Victor E. brings Bulldog spirit to any situation. I also manage Victor E.’s schedule, bring him to veterinary appointments and sporting events.

Being able to give Victor E. top notch care is such an incredible experience. The way he brings people together is such a powerful reminder of what Fresno State means to our community. All that aside, he’s a great coworker — playful, upbeat and so much fun.

Are you a dog person? Do you have one of your own?
I love all animals, but especially dogs. My fiancé calls me the dog whisperer because somehow I can always find a pup to befriend. I have two dogs at home; an Australian shepherd named Zoey and a black lab mix named Stella.

Tell us about Victor, what is it like working with him?
Victor E. is playful and loves to meet new people. He’s been known to be stubborn if he feels like the spotlight isn’t on him, so he’s very well suited for the mascot lifestyle. Since he was raised as a mascot, he’s been impeccably trained (shout out to our team of trainers at Melody Daggs Professional Dog Training). At the end of the day, he’s still a live animal, so I’m sure to give him lots of time to rest and never push him to do something he is hesitant about.

What does a day in the life of Victor E. look like?
Before the switch to remote work, Victor E. might have up to four appearances on any given day. He’d go to events on campus and in the community, spreading smiles and Bulldog spirit wherever he went. (Fun fact: On campus entities aren’t charged for appearances, but off campus entities pay a fee to help support the Live Mascot Program. The program is entirely reliant on donations.)

He’d have walks and playtime built into his schedule. He’d have veterinary appointments and specialized training sessions. On days when Victor E. didn’t have much official business on the books, our favorite thing to do was take walks in the Henry Madden Library to greet students.

Now that Victor E. is practicing social distancing and working from home, his days look a lot different. He sleeps in and plays with his sister, another bulldog named Abby. He still goes on two walks each day, but now the space in between is filled with lots of napping and playing tug-of-war. He’s staying connected with friends on social media and launching a new program called Virtual Visits with Victor E. in an effort to connect with even more of our community!

What have you and Victor been doing during this last semester of virtual instruction?
Working from home has been an interesting change for us because we live separately. Occasionally I will pick him up and bring him to campus to take some photos and let him enjoy the sights. We did lots of virtual visits with classes and meetings to encourage students to keep pushing through the semester.

What don’t people know about Victor E. that you can share?
Victor E.’s favorite toy is his rubber chicken — it makes an unbelievably crazy sound. We only bring that out when nobody else is in the office!

You’re a Fresno native, are you also Bulldog Born, Bulldog Bred?
Bulldog born and Bulldog bred! Fresno State has been part of my huge family long before I was born. I have wonderful memories of watching Fresno State football games and my older cousins giving us campus tours.