Any Eastern student who wants to be the school mascot will have the opportunity to perform at the “Singled Out” game on Oct. 10 and the Homecoming pep rally on Oct. 11.

Tasha Thursby, a sophomore health studies major, is on the Homecoming Panther Pride Committee, which decided on the “who wants to be a mascot” idea. The most important thing a potential mascot must possess is school spirit, Thursby said.

“The person must also be creative and able to get the crowd involved,” Thursby said.

Anyone who wants to be a mascot can apply, and all who apply will have their performances previewed at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. The performances will be previewed to ensure they are in good taste, Thursby said.

Potential mascots must provide their own costumes and provide their own music, the application states. They must also provide a description of the performance on the application.

Mascot applicants will perform at the “Singled Out” game at 7 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom. A panel of judges, along with the crowd, will decide on the top three performers.

The three best mascots will perform at the pep rally at 7 p.m. Friday at O’Brien Stadium. The crowd will have the most influence on the choice of who is the best mascot, but a panel of judges will be there in case of any discrepancy, Thursby said.

Prizes will be given to the top three. The third place winner will receive a $30 gift certificate to the Union Bookstore, the second place winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to the Union Bookstore and the first place winner will receive a plaque and a DVD player.

Tentatively, the first-place mascot will perform at the Homecoming game Saturday, Thursby said.

The application deadline is Tuesday. Applications are in the Student Activities Center.

Although often called “Billy the Panther,” Eastern’s mascot still has no official name.