Griss & Tutts – A Trinity University Adventure

A TRINITY UNIVERSITY ADVENTURE

A TRINITY UNIVERSITY ADVENTURE

a trinity university cub club book

Dedicated to the past, present and future explorers of Trinity University. May you continue to make and share your adventures for years to come.

Discussion Guide We hope you will use Tutts and Gris’ adventure to discuss your time at Trinity with your cub(s). Here are some talking points you can use as a guide.

As you read, look for Trinity traditions you can explain and talk about how these moments serve as a shared experience for alumni. Can you find a birthday dunk? How about celebrating Bid day? Did you study at the magic stones, and did it work?

Share Trinity’s commitment to the environment as shown in the picture of Tutts trying to drink the recycled water.

As you see pictures of buildings, campus landmarks, even indoor spaces in the story, you can talk about your memories in these locations.

What was your favorite Trinity adventure?

Since graduation, why do people come back for Alumni Weekend, and how do you stay involved with your alma mater?

LeeRoy Tiger, Trinity University’s mascot, and his good friend, Jazzie Rhino, were catching up during Trinity’s annual alumni weekend.

“I am jealous you still get to explore this campus every day,” Jazzie says looking around.

“Oh yes. My nephew, Tutts, and I love exploroaring,” LeeRoy jokes.

Tutts Tiger giggles from his spot on the grass. “Especially the ‘ROARING’ part,” he shouts back.

Tutts and Jazzie’s daughter, Griss, have become fast friends at Alumni Weekend while playing on the grass and listening to music.

“Exploring sounds fun,” Griss hints to Tutts.

“It is! Come on, I’ll race you to that tower,” Tutts replies running away.

“Wait up!” Griss yells, hurrying after him.

Griss catches up to Tutts at the bottom of a tall staircase.

“I can’t even see where it ends,” Griss says looking up.

A student bounds up the stairs next to them. “Come on!

Don’t worry. It gets easier!” the student calls back.

“Does he mean going up the stairs or being a student?”

Tutts asks Griss, growing more tired with each step.

“Both!” the student says with a smile as he skips away.

“We made it, Tutts,” Griss exclaims, catching her breath. “And there’s our tower!”

Tutts doesn’t hear Griss though. He has already set his sights on something else.

“Look!” Tutts says. “A watering hole!”

Griss follows Tutts hesitantly, her eyes still on the tower.

As Tutts kneels to take a drink he hears someone shouting next to him.

“WAIT! Don’t drink the water!

It is recycled!” says a student running up to them.

“But I thought recycling was a good thing,” Griss asks confused.

“Good for plants… but not for drinking,” the student says, as another student hands them bottles of water.

Griss and Tutts begin to notice all of the different students and activities around them. Griss asks, “What do you think everybody is here for, Tutts?�

“I’m really not too sure,” says Tutts.

“But it sure looks like fun!”

Finding something else that catches his eye, Tutts says, “Oh look, Griss! I wonder what they are doing over there.

Let’s go check it out!”

“I wonder what’s up with all these shapes on the grass?” Griss says looking around.

“These are the magic stones,” a nearby student explains. “Legend has it that if you study near them, you will get good grades.”

“Plus, they also make great backscratchers,” another student calls out. “Try it!”

“Tutts, it’s getting hot out here!

Let’s go take a look in that building and cool down,” Griss suggests.

As Griss and Tutts enter The Center for the Sciences and Innovation, a professor sees them.

“How can I help you two?” the professor asks.

“What are those students doing in there?”

Griss asks, looking into a classroom lab.

“Well, these particular students are working on a project to get clean water to places that don’t have it,” the professor explains.

“How are they going to do that?” Tutts asks.

“Come back and take my class someday and I’ll teach you how to use science to help others,” the professor says.

Back outside, a big, circular-shaped building grabs Tutts’ attention. Turning to Griss, Tutts exclaims, “That looks like a spaceship!”

Noticing the building, Griss says, “Well, we are exploroarers now, aren’t we? Let’s go see what’s inside!”

Inside Laurie Auditorium, the two explorers stumble into the university radio station, KRTU. Tutts jokingly grabs the microphone and says, “To all you alumni weekend listeners, welcome home and thank you for tuning into KRTU!” The only trouble is, Tutts hasn’t noticed the red letters lit up next to him with the words “On Air”.

“Uh oh,” a worried Jazzie says as she hears Tutts on the radio.

“I think we know where our little explorers are now,” LeeRoy replies. “Let’s go find them.”

“Where have you guys been?” LeeRoy calls out as they see Griss and Tutts walking out of the radio station.

“Everywhere!” an excited Griss shouts back. “There were so many cool things to see!”

“Well, how about we make one more stop on today’s adventure?” LeeRoy says pointing to the top of the tower.

The friends look up at the very, very tall tower.

“More stairs, Tutts,” Griss chuckles.

“Let’s do it!” says Tutts.

“I don’t know about you, but I’d say those stairs are worth the view,” says Jazzie.

“So did you kids have a good time at Alumni Weekend?” LeeRoy asks.

“Fantastic! We exploroared EVERYTHING!” Griss shares.

“Everything?” Tutts whispers, pointing to downtown San Antonio.

“That can be our next adventure!”

Griss says with a smile and a wink.

A special thank you to the alumni and staff who worked to make Cub Club and this book possible: Virginia Barber ’06 who generously gave her time and talent to write our story.

Erica Missey ’96, our illustrator extraordinaire, for bringing these characters to life. Jerry Connor, not an alumnus, but hugely helpful for coloring the story, and Jeanna Goodrich Balreira ’08 for her additional layout help.

Katie Storey for her vision and tenacity to create Cub Club and conceptualizing Griss and Tutts.

Janie Childers, professor of psychology at Trinity and director of the children’s research lab, for her help and guidance.

The Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing for their expertise in marketing and their overall support.

Hugh Daschbach ’95 for saying yes and taking a chance on something new.

Mike Bacon ’89 for his belief in our vision and for his dedication to supporting Tiger alumni.

About the Creators Writer Virginia Barber ’06 received a bachelor’s in communication from Trinity and a master’s in copywriting and nonprofit studies from The University of Texas. She spent 4 years working in New York City before returning home to Austin, Texas, where she develops editorial content for professional development companies on selfawareness and leadership topics. She treasures her Trinity experience, especially the time she spent as a captain of the women’s tennis team, a dj with KRTU and a resident assistant.

Illustrator Erica Missey ’96 received a bachelor’s in studio art and communication from Trinity. She was born to draw, pencil in hand from day one. She does caricatures, face painting, scene painting, book illustration, and hires other artists to do the same. She plays drums, bass, trumpet, and sings and is active in two recording and touring rock bands. She also raises rescue cats. She owes a huge part of her career success to her wonderful professors from Trinity University.