A new Jack the Bulldog will join the campus community in the Spring 2024 semester, Georgetown University announced in a Nov. 30 press release.

Born July 28, 2023 weighing thirty pounds, the new Jack (officially named Serchell’s John P. Carroll) will build community among Georgetown students by attending basketball games at Capital One Arena and taking walks across campus, according to the press release. He joins an extensive line of Georgetown live mascots that has included nine bulldogs — eight with the name Jack — and a Boston bull terrier named Stubby who served alongside American forces in World War I.

Julia Farr (CAS ’88), the executive director of the Georgetown University Alumni Association, was involved in the search for the new mascot. She said Jack has been getting accustomed to all the responsibilities he will soon inherit as the university mascot.

“We are excited to welcome our new mascot, Jack, to our university community,” Farr said in the press release, which a university spokesperson directed to The Hoya. “Jack has been getting ready to join his fellow Hoyas for several weeks, learning all the important parts of his role like walks in the neighborhood, playing with new friends and jumping on a skateboard for a ride. He will bring to life our Spirit of Georgetown in all he does here on campus.” 

The Hanford, Calif. native, who is looking forward to building a band of admirers, is often found laying belly-up in the sun, chasing dragonflies or enjoying melon and meat, his two favorite foods, according to the press release. 

Madison Burnett (SOH ’24), a tour guide for the Blue and Gray Tour Guide Society, said she enjoys mentioning Jack the Bulldog’s presence on campus when giving tours to prospective students. 

“It’s always fun to talk about Jack on tours,” Burnett told The Hoya. “I feel like that’s when I mention him the most. I always mention Jack’s full name when I ask prospective students on tours if they can guess what our mascot is.”

Beyond tour guides, Katya Tolunsky (CAS ’26) said that as an aspiring member of the Jack Crew — a selective student caretaker group for Jack — she is looking forward to seeing a new furry friend around the Hilltop.

“I’m very eager to apply for Jack Crew because I have two dogs at home, and I miss them a lot when I’m here,” Tolunsky told The Hoya. “So I think it’s a nice opportunity to just get back into the routine of walking a dog and revel in the cuteness of another dog — it just brings a lot of joy to my life when I’m around dogs.” 

In a Sept. 7 interview with The Hoya, University President John J. DeGioia (CAS ’79, GRD ’95) said an ongoing search effort for the ninth Jack the Bulldog was a top priority for the university’s administration.

“I can only assure you that great effort is going into trying to ensure that we have a bulldog in place for so many of the important campus events that we share together, and this has become such an important part of our university community,” DeGioia told The Hoya.

Jack’s training regimen will begin with attending smaller events and then transition toward attendance at larger venues, according to the press release. Typical Jack duties include riding in a remote-controlled Range Rover at basketball games and posing for pictures with students and fans.

The new mascot comes after the previous Jack the Bulldog died unexpectedly in July 2023 from an intestinal disease at the age of four. The University said they are taking steps to ensure the health and protection of the ninth Jack the Bulldog.

Taylor Young (SOH ’26) considers herself an ultra-Jack the Bulldog fan, and said Jack is a beloved part of the campus community, with many considering him a Georgetown celebrity.

“My favorite thing about Jack the Bulldog is how integrated he is into our campus life,” Young wrote to The Hoya. “The Jack Crew always does a great job of making him a ‘campus celebrity’ for students, ensuring that he is walking around campus and adding joy to everyone’s day.”

As Hoyas remember the late eighth Jack the Bulldog, excitement is buzzing around the newest community member on the Hilltop — Jack the Bulldog No. 9 — according to the release.

“In the new year, there will be a new Hoya on campus,” the press release said. “When he’s ready, Jack will be a regular fixture at basketball games and other athletic events, at university events, riding around campus in his golf cart, and playing with students on their way to class.”