Sixty years ago, a papier-mâché head and a whole lot of Buckeye spirit birthed a mascot unlike any other. From the moment Brutus Buckeye shuffled into Ohio Stadium on Oct. 30, 1965 he has been more than just a symbol — he has created a family.

This week, the Ohio State community celebrated Brutus’ 60th birthday, honoring the history and unity he has represented for generations. On Wednesday, the university shattered a Guinness world record with over 1,900 people wearing conical party hats.

Brutus originated in 1965, before the Minnesota game, when a group of spirited students debuted the mascot.

That debut was unlike anything fans had seen at the time, Dave Isaacs, a university spokesperson, said.

“For fans at that game against Minnesota to see this papier-mâché nut walking down the ramp was amazing,” Isaacs said. “We hadn’t had anything like that at Ohio State in all the years leading up to that, and it created a very immediate sensation.”

In the mid-1960s, mascots were not yet the game-day staples they have become. Isaacs said only a few schools had them, and they rarely appeared on television.

“Every major college football game is on television now, and virtually every telecast features the mascot,” Isaacs said. “That really wasn’t the case in 1965. So having a mascot at Ohio State wasn’t just new, it was a new concept.”

Brutus was born through Ohio Staters, a service-based student organization dedicated to bettering campus. Once the mascot caught on, the group handed him over to Block O, which leads the student section on game days.

By the 1970s, Brutus had become both a campus sensation and a cause worth fundraising for. When Ohio State went to the Rose Bowl in 1974, Block O could not afford to fly a papier-mâché mascot across the country.

“That’s when Brutus really became part of the athletics department,” Isaacs said. “By 1975, he had a smaller head and began evolving into the mascot we know today.”

This year’s celebration brought that same Buckeye spirit into focus in a new way.

Brutus’ 60th Birthday Celebration, organized by the Jeffrey Schottenstein Program for Resilience, Student Life, Athletics and the Nina and Ryan Day Resilience Fund, turned Brutus’ birthday into an opportunity to promote connection and community across campus.

“There’s lots of evidence to suggest that young adults think other people are less interested in them than they actually are,” Jen Cheavens, co-director of the Schottenstein program and one of the event’s planners said. “And when you celebrate your good news with others, it’s good for you and for the person you’re celebrating with.”

Meera Menon, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and another event organizer, said the team wanted the celebration to highlight how moments of joy can strengthen mental health and resilience.

“Brutus has stood the test of time, and he’s resilient,” Menon said. “He’s always cheering us on and encouraging us to do better. This event supports that same mission of sticking through challenges and showing grit.”

Menon said the team also saw the event as a chance to help students reconnect after years of isolation following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Even though it’s been more than five years since lockdowns, we’re still seeing how difficult it can be for people to connect or make new friends,” Menon said. “So what better timing than Brutus turning 60 to promote how helpful it can be to come together and celebrate?”

That idea evolved into the campus-wide world record attempt, and success, as a way to bring thousands together around a shared moment of joy.

Menon said celebrating moments like these can help strengthen the same emotional bonds that support students in more difficult times.

“When a friend says they’re struggling, most people will drop what they’re doing to help, which is great,” Menon said. “But when a friend reaches out to celebrate good news, we’re less likely to show up, even though celebrating together builds resilience and supports mental wellness. Being there in times of joy helps ensure we’ll be there for each other in tougher times, too.”

The event’s theme also tied back to Brutus himself, who Cheavens said has long embodied what it means to show up for others.

“One of the things about Brutus is that he’s out in hospitals meeting everyone from young kids to older adults, bringing joy to people in all kinds of settings,” Cheavens said. “People light up when they see him. There’s science behind that — when you experience a positive emotion, it opens you up to the world around you. Brutus does that for people.”

Menon said she hopes students left the celebration feeling both connected and inspired.

“I want students to remember that celebrating our friends, our accomplishments and ourselves builds strength,” Menon said. “And even when we face failure or tough moments, those experiences help us grow and become more resilient, just like Brutus has for 60 years.”