'Champ' makes his pitch to UI trustees

Photo by: Stephen Haas/The News-GazetteURBANA — At Thursday's University of Illinois Board of Trustees meeting, sophomore Mike Skibski presented his Illini mascot idea, "Champ" the World War I soldier, complete with a student dressed in costume.

He said it would be "a figure to be proud of" with a "quiet dignity."

Benjamin Duban, a freshman nuclear engineering major from Rochester, donned the "Champ" outfit at the Illini Union.

Duban, who is in the ROTC program, said Champ's promoters wanted an ROTC student to wear the uniform.

"I think it's a great idea," he said.