Some know Howard Rescot as Spike the bulldog mascot. Others know him as the jolly, outgoing man behind the register at the D-Shoppe on Drake University’s campus. Still others know him as the mail guy who drives around campus in a golf cart he calls “Pup.”

But not too many know Howard as the boy who was tutored by Laura Bush. Or the young man who mowed lawn for Margaret Thatcher’s son. Even fewer probably know him as the guy that dated Miss Arkansas.

“Who, Robin?” Howard asks with as much excitement in his voice as a kid about to meet his favorite professional athlete. (That’s how Howard always talks.) “I didn’t date her. I escorted her. When she was Miss Arkansas, they had to have an escort. Robin asked me to be her escort.”

Why wouldn’t she? Not only is Howard one of the warmest and friendliest guys you’ll meet, he’s loyal, trustworthy, has fascinating stories, and loves the Lord.

Howard graduated from Midwestern Baptist Seminary in 1996 and moved to Des Moines to work for the Southern Baptist Convention. “I came up here to do ministry, but that only lasted two weeks,” he says.

Though Howard’s original ministry plans went, in his words, “Kapooee,” God had a different plan for his ministry—one that would involve countless students, faculty, and staff at Drake University.

Howard got a part-time job at the mailroom on Drake’s campus, which eventually worked into a full-time job when Laser Resources, Inc. (LRI) took over mail services at Drake. He also started working part time at the university bookstore.

Soon after he started at Drake, Howard decided he wanted to play Spike, the bulldog mascot. One of his favorite memories of playing Spike was marching in the parade at the Iowa State Fair.

“You come over the hill, and there’s over 100,000 people standing there,” Howard says. “Oh my gosh, and I about wet my pants. I’m 40 years old and standing here in a college mascot outfit.”

Howard has had such an impact on people’s lives over the last 12 years that when he lost his job in the mailroom last summer after Drake ended its contract with LRI, students and faculty stepped in.

Although Howard doesn’t know exactly what happened, he’s been told that he has “wonderful friends,” who spoke up when they found out Howard lost his job. He was offered and accepted a new position as the assistant equipment room manager in Drake’s athletic department.

Despite the hurt Howard felt over losing his job, he kept a Christ-like attitude. “You can’t lash out on them,” he says. “You can either get mad or you can let God deal with it. Because trust me, he’s a lot bigger than I am.”

Howard says losing his job, along with all the other experiences he’s had at Drake, has made his faith stronger. “It’s always fun to watch the students reading their Bibles,” he says.

He adds that the thing he’d miss most if he ever did stop working at Drake is the students, staff, and faculty. Why? “Because they’re just priceless people. There are people in there I look forward to seeing every day,” he says. “If I left, trust me, I’d walk out of here with a lot of memories, a lot of ones I’d just smile about forever.”