Editor’s note: The “Who is Syracuse?” series runs in The Daily Orange every spring to highlight individuals who embody the spirit of Syracuse University. The D.O. encouraged members of the campus community to nominate people who fit this description, and The D.O. selected the final eight nominees. This series explores their stories.

The Carrier Dome echoed with Kristen Unangst’s laugh as Otto tossed her a football at 8 a.m. After a quick game of catch, Otto challenged Unangst to balance the ball on her nose — something Otto mastered. With some help from her orange friend, Unangst suspended the football on her nose for a few seconds.

Unangst was one of six seniors revealed as Otto in the Dome during the final home men’s basketball game in March. Throughout her four years at Syracuse University, Unangst — a senior finance and supply chain management double major — has embedded herself in the community both in and out of the Otto suit. She’s vice president of Phi Sigma Pi honor fraternity and on the lead team for University 100, SU’s student ambassador organization. She’s also involved in Traditions Commission and mentors seventh grade students once a week.

After all, a student’s job at college is to learn and take advantage of every opportunity possible, Unangst said.

“Syracuse pulls you in a million directions,” she said. “Everything I’ve done here, I’m representing Syracuse and (doing) it in a positive light.”

If Unangst feels overwhelmed, it’s only for a moment, said Angie Pati, a senior neuroscience and psychology double major and Student Association vice president.

“She loves everything she does so much. She knows it’s changing a lot of people’s lives, and she’s always working toward a good cause,” said Pati, who is Unangst’s roommate.

Unangst took on her first Phi Sigma Pi leadership role sophomore year as the fellowship chair and found her voice by challenging things for the betterment of others, Pati said. As a member of the leadership team and a tour guide for U100, Unangst looked to recruit “the most incredible” students to SU — not necessarily for who they were on paper but who they were at heart, Pati said.

“She not only knows what it means to be an Orange, she knows what it means to be a citizen of a progressive, inclusive, ever-changing world,” Pati said.
No matter the situation, Unangst makes sure to support her friends and community members with a smile, said Caitlin O’Hara, a senior accounting and finance double major in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. O’Hara remembers a moment when she was stressed about Whitman’s core curriculum, something her and Unangst took together.

Instead of talking about her own frustrations, Unangst comforted O’Hara about a class that she too felt stressed about. It wasn’t until a week later, O’Hara learned, that Unangst was equally overwhelmed.

“She could be going through anything but will put on the biggest smile even if she’s going through something herself,” O’Hara said.

It brings Unangst joy when she does something for someone else, said mascot coach Julie Walas, who is also the director of student and alumni engagement in the School of Information Studies. Walas said Unangst had to make some tough decisions as Otto — a Division I athlete. For Unangst, it was important to balance relationships between teammates and her outside friends, who were in the dark. She hadn’t told anyone she was Otto until her reveal this spring.

“Sometimes it’s easy to focus on the negative, but Kristen never takes that road,” said Walas. “I look to her to help me keep the team seeing the positive side of things.”

Unangst was the most valuable player on the mascot team this year because she “drives everyone together,” Walas said.

Even though Otto has traveled all over the country, Unangst’s favorite moment in suit wasn’t one in the sports spotlight. As a community figure, Otto attended a foster care adoption day celebration where the children hugged and jumped on Otto in excitement.

“The suit is humbling,” Unangst said. “I do it for my team and the people that support Syracuse.”

One of the most important moments in her college career was finding out she was going to be Otto. Since she’s an open book, it was hard for Unangst to keep this secret from her friends. When she got the call, Unangst went to a small patch of grass next to the Physics Building and Gate E of the Dome to call the only people she could share the news with — her parents. She then danced in place, told herself to breathe and walked back to the dorms like nothing happened.

When it came time to tell the world she was Otto three and a half years later, the world was there to support her. Unangst’s family and friends, including Pati and O’Hara, held handmade signs and a giant head cutout of her. After Otto’s friends were revealed, everyone cried and cheered at the same time, said Kristen’s mom, Linda Unangst.

“It was a proud moment,” Linda said. “Every moment you think is the proudest, and then there’s more.”

After four years at SU, Unangst has no “shoulda-woulda-coulda” moments, Linda said. To make it all work, Unangst only takes on commitments she can fulfill and relies on her friends and family for support.

“I’ve been realizing lately that if you want to improve yourself, think about what you actually want to improve for yourself, not what other people are thinking you should improve,” she said.

Unangst said she believes it’s important to be the best person you can be for yourself and to do what makes you happy — something she expresses through her wardrobe.

Pati describes a classic Unangst outfit to include Birkenstocks, frilled sunflower socks, mom jeans, a Life is Good T-shirt and a sunflower choker with her hair in two mini buns.

“She’s selfless and hysterical and absolutely out of her mind, and there’s no better characteristics you want in a best friend and a roommate,” Pati said. “There’s no bad day when Kristen Unangst is around.”

After graduating, Unangst will work with Eaton, a power management company, for a rotational program that starts in Cleveland. Along with learning about finance, accounting and supply chain, Unangst is interested in children, the environment, homelessness and mental health and is looking forward to working at “a variety of places.”

“I’m excited to see what (happens) with SU and to be involved as an alum,” Unangst said. “I’ve never felt so specifically connected, as myself, as a person, to a place as I do in Syracuse.”

– 30 –