113 PEOPLE BEHIND THE MASK Senior Isaac Frost makes his time as Buff the Bison unforgettable. Buff the Bison was the backbone of Harding University’s school spirit. He showed up to Code Black pep rallies, attended tailgates and rooted on the football and basketball teams. It took dedication to be actively involved in various sporting events. Traditionally, the identity of Buff the Bison remained anonymous. Buff had to maintain two different personas as he roamed the halls of the university, making sure his secret was kept safe. Entrusted with this responsibility for the 2022-23 school year was senior education major Isaac Frost. For Frost, this was a job he always wanted to do. Four years in the making, Frost considered it an honor to embody the bison. Starting off as his high school mascot in Clarksville, Arkansas, Frost came to Harding’s campus with dreams of being Buff the Bison as a freshman. Due to COVID-19 and other obstacles, his dreams did not come to fruition until now. “I consider it a pretty big honor,” Frost said “For one thing, for Coach Morgan and Coach Blickenstaff to be able to stick with me through these past four years, I’m very thankful for that.” Frost brought a sense of uniqueness to Buff, and had an unmatched level of humility. Buff the Bison “I want to be the people’s bison,” Frost said. “The goal of the mascot is not to be the creator of school spirit. The idea of the mascot is to be the accent to the school spirit. Even though I’m wearing a huge mascot suit, I’m not the center of attention.” Frost’s goal was to accentuate what Harding already did well, showing up and supporting others. Frost’s brother, freshman Ty Frost, admired the work that Isaac Frost put into being Buff. “I’m so proud of him and what he is doing, but I know that he is not doing it for the recognition, but to make the Harding community more spirited about athletics and our school,” Ty Frost said. When not at a pep rally or game, Isaac Frost was posing for photos with children and parents alike in order to give them an authentic Harding experience. Junior cheerleader Josie Thomas took notice of Isaac Frost’s portrayal of Buff. “He had such big shoes to fill and he’s done a great job,” Thomas said. “He’s so intentional about interacting with the students and kids.” Written by: Janae Bradshaw
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