Kent State University's Golden Flashes have a new mascot to represent them on court and field — a live golden eagle.

She comes to campus events courtesy of Back to the Wild, a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation center in Castalia.

The bird lost its mate, an eye and use of a wing in a collision with a truck in California, but has found something of a second career helping to educate the public about wildlife.

''She's beautiful, but she's a handful,'' said Mona Rutger, founder of the center and a state- and federally licensed wildlife rehabilitator. ''She seems accepting of this.''

As ''Flash'' at KSU events, the eagle is the newest in a long line of mascots to represent the Golden Flashes.

There has been a golden retriever, a cartoon character named Grog, a palomino pony and masked rider and a masked figure wielding lightning bolts in each hand.

In 1985, the university finally settled on the golden eagle as KSU's official mascot. For the next 10 years, a falconer from Western Pennsylvania brought a bird named Wembli — that's Sioux for eagle — to football games.

Last year, KSU officials decided to find a new golden eagle and connect the bird to their branding campaign, a long-term effort to build positive associations to the university.

Kathy Stafford, vice president for university relations, told KSU's employee newsletter that the golden eagle was a natural for that as they ''have tremendous vision, soar to
amazing heights and always reach for the highest goals,'' just like KSU faculty and staff.

KSU legal associate Amelie Anderson trolled the Internet to find a golden eagle and happened upon the nonprofit Back to the Wild group about five miles from Sandusky in Castalia.

Fortunately for KSU, a golden eagle recently had been placed at the center and under state and federal regulations was available for exhibition in tandem with educational messages. Rutger also came with some commendations: She was Animal Planet's Hero of the Year in 2006.

That led to Flash's debut at the KSU men's basketball game against the University of Akron on Jan. 23. Rutger, the center's founder and operator, and the bird made a brief appearance on the basketball court, then met some children off court at halftime for an educational presentation.

''You could tell from the crowd reaction that it was a great thing,'' said Alan Ashby, director of athletic communications for Kent State. ''I was shocked, honestly, at how large the bird was. It's a big, strong, powerful symbol of what we are.''

KSU agreed to make a $5,000 initial payment to the center as well as to pay $1,000 a year, $750 for each photo session at the center by a KSU photographer and $1,000 for each visit that Rutger and the eagle make to an event.

Rutger said the income is welcome as the volunteer-run center relies on donations to support its 175 permanent residents — foxes, bobcats, rabbits and more — and 2,500 others that it rehabilitates yearly. The yearly tab to care for all those animals comes to about $200,000, she said.

She said the golden eagle also can help to elevate the public's appreciation of the natural world:

''She is a powerful ambassador who can help to deliver our message that will benefit thousands of other wild animals.''

Still, Rutger is careful of her charge. No one is allowed to touch her; even Rutger handles her with sturdy gloves because of her piercing claws.

Nor does the bird have a name at the center. While Rutger agreed to call her Flash at KSU events, she doesn't want to treat her like a pet.

As for Flash, she seems to be handling her newfound celebrity fairly well. She was so relaxed when she got home from the KSU game that she ate a hearty meal of large rats, venison and day-old chicks.

Her next scheduled appearance at Kent State is the Feb. 23 women's basketball game against UA.

Back to the Wild is open for youth and community groups. Visit its Web site at htpp://www.backtothewild.com. Rutger can be reached at 419-684-9539 or by e-mail mona@backtothewild.com.