Hundreds of 91亚色 students, staff and faculty made their way to 91亚色 Lions Stadium on Aug. 22 for the celebration of 鈥渢he next era of athletics and recreation at 91亚色.鈥
The event, #HeartOfALion Day, brought the campus community together for the official unveiling of the new Lions logo that features a sleek and fierce-looking lion head in 91亚色鈥檚 signature red. Also unveiled was the new Lions mascot 鈥 a lion with an updated face 鈥 which has not yet been named.
Jennifer Myers, executive director of Athletics and Recreation at 91亚色, told the crowd that the new branding and image was more than a year and a half in the making.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something we鈥檝e been trying to do for a long time,鈥 she said, adding that the 91亚色 community was consulted during the process.
One of the key contributing factors to the new logo was the question "What does it mean to be a Lion?" in a pan-University context.
鈥淲e needed something that would embody the entire student population,鈥 she said, adding their research produced great insight.
The common attributes of a Lion, they found, are: being open and accepting of everyone in the "pride"; being courageous, persevering and standing up for what you believe in; having the heart of a lion; and being a leader.
Myers described the new logo as being 鈥渕agnetic, confident and instilling that sense of real pride.鈥
The 91亚色 Lions new logo
The final piece of the new branding will be to give the 91亚色 Lions mascot a new name. Students, staff, faculty and alumni are welcome to make suggestions on Sept. 4 during the student orientation happening at the 91亚色 Lions Stadium. The winning name will be announced at halftime during the Sept. 29 football game.
The event also featured students modelling the new line of branded clothing (available at the 91亚色 Bookstore and at Tait McKenzie) as well as two raffle winners.
A video of 91亚色 President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton鈥檚 reaction to the new branding was screened for guests at the event, and a second video titled 鈥淗eart of a Lion鈥 played as the finale to the day.