The golden eagle mascot has a tangled history at NEIU. With a retired version, once used when intercollegiate sports existed, and an unofficial student-crafted logo flying freely, it was time to give the student body an official school mascot with branding guidelines on it’s usage.

Under the guidance of the Creative Director, I led the research and redesign of the new mascot, introduced in 2021.

BRANDING | CUSTOM ILLUSTRATION | DIGITAL MARKETING 

The original intercollegiate mascot and the student-created logo existed side-by-side, used freely by members of the university without guidelines. Often times being manipulated for usage by different departments and student run groups as logos for their respective areas or on social media and t-shirts. Initial discussions for an official logo began in 2019 when the university invested in a brand new university mascot costume.

The illustration should represent the personality research conducted in 2019 and highlight the tenacity and determination of our students. Keywords to consider include pride, perseverance and resilience.

The final product should be on par with other educational institutions in Illinois, as well as institutions represented by an eagle.

The final mascot illustration should resemble the Goldie costume.

The illustration should align with the elements outlined in NEIU’s official brand guidelines; in particular, Northeastern’s color palette should be utilized.

Sourcing golden eagle imagery was important in illustrating concepts that aligned with the correct type of eagle and coloring, while considering the look of the mascot costume and university brand guidelines.

Pulling inspiration from successful professional mascot illustrations, whether from universities or sports teams, was crucial in making sure the creation of the new Goldie mascot was on part with other professional institutions.

Over 10 versions of the Goldie mascot were designed, trying different styles and angles to determine which best fit the university’s personality research, the new Goldie costume, real life golden eagles, etc.

Over 10 versions of the Goldie mascot were designed, trying different styles and angles to determine which best fit the university’s personality research, the new Goldie costume, real life golden eagles, etc.