Gift Gives Testudo a New Reason to Turn Cartwheels

Brendan Weissel ’26 tried out for the Testudo mascot team virtually blindfolded. He put on the giant head wrong, so the hood inside covered his eyes and he couldn’t see as he pranced, ran and posed. But he brought energy, confidence and social media savvy and won the role, helped by advice from a predecessor: his brother, Brad ’20.

Initial difficulties with the turtle suit aside, Testudo was the perfect fit for both: “They were very spirited. It was good to have them in a costume where they're not allowed to yell,” said their father, Mike Weissel. Now other Terps on the team will have more reasons to cheer following a gift from Mike and Karen, their mother, to start an endowment to support the mascot program.  

The gift is part of Forward: The University of Maryland Campaign for the Fearless, a $2.5 billion fundraising initiative that aims to expand access to UMD’s world-class education, accelerate groundbreaking research and unite a global community to Do Good. Funds earned from the endowment could be used to pay for additional Testudo suits and mascot training camps, among other program needs. The family’s new gift follows an earlier donation from the Weissels to design and buy new heads for Testudo, which cost more than $4,000.

“Testudo is, perhaps, the most recognizable face of Maryland — more than any individual administrator or athlete,” said Mike. “We felt it was important to ensure the program has the appropriate funding to operate at a world-class level.” An additional aim of the gift is to kick-start further fundraising for the program.

“They are not just supporting Testudo as a symbol of Maryland. They're investing in the students behind the shell,” said Carrie Blankenship, executive associate athletic director for marketing, brand and events. “We’re incredibly grateful.”

The Testudo Mascot Program consists of a team of four to eight students per year who represent Maryland at hundreds of athletic, campus and private events each year; it falls under the purview of Maryland Cheerleading in Maryland Athletics. 

Jessica Shumway, head coach of Maryland Cheerleading, said her jaw dropped when she learned of this new gift from the family: “Not only [are Brad and Brendan] alumni mascots now, but they still care enough to keep the program growing the way that both of them were able to while they were on the team.”

Any full-time UMD student, undergraduate or graduate, can try out for the Testudo team. The students make a weekly time commitment that includes game appearances, practices and meetings. Students can also appear at private events; all told, the team made more than 200 appearances last year. 

While Testudo is paid for many of these appearances, and some of those funds go to the program, the needs outstrip current resources. The Weissels hope the endowment can draw attention to the program and encourage others to support further fundraising. That could help purchase body suits for every student, more costumes for Testudo and modernize the locker room space for the students to change in and store their gear.

The brothers were captains of the Testudo team their respective senior years. During his tenure as Testudo, Brendan, a journalism major, grew the social media visibility and skill level of the team. He, along with other Testudo leadership, launched Mascot Day, bringing mascots from other schools and the Baltimore Ravens to the UMD campus. They added more practices where the team worked on lessons learned at mascot camp, from standardizing spellouts of “M-A-R-Y-L-A-N-D” and dances to encouraging everyone to do Testudo’s signature nose rub. 

“I've always said, for Testudo, the more you do, the more we can do,” said Brendan. “If Testudo has more money, Testudo can do more events on campus and have more suits. If we have more suits, then we can be more spread out across the DMV area and do more events. To me, it's a whole circle.”

Brad, who earned a degree in government and politics, remembers when he was in the Testudo suit and could pick up a 13-year-old Brendan and carry him on the sidelines. Now Brendan is taller than he is. The two brothers have always been close and being on the team only strengthened that bond. “This gift allows us to continue to be a part of the program that meant so much to us,” said Brad.