Our Mascot: A Community Engagement Process

At the beginning of 2024, a survey went out to our students, staff, faculty and alumni regarding our mascot. A steering committee of twenty-one Lewis & Clark community members representing alumni, trustees, faculty staff, and students from the undergraduate College, the Graduate School, and the Law School analyzed over 7,000 responses and recommended that Lewis & Clark begin the process of adopting and embracing a new mascot. The final report and findings can be found here. 

We believe that the best mascots represent a shared sense of school spirit and pride and offer a common identity that a whole community can embrace.

As we begin the search for a new mascot, we hope to engage our entire community in a process that is educational, experiential, and forward-looking. Last year’s steering committee has done its work and keeping with the spirit of that committee and their recommendations, we now embark into the next phase which will be led by a group of community members to oversee and run the nominations and selection process. 

We are excited to share the following update and next steps as we move forward together in the mascot selection process:

Mascot Advisory & Selection Committee (MASC) Group

• A group of undergraduate, graduate, and law students, faculty, staff, and alumni have been gathered to form the Mascot Advisory Selection Committee (MASC). This committee of 40 individuals has met during the fall 2024 semester to review the factors that will guide the nomination review and voting process. This group will continue to meet throughout the spring 2025 semester to narrow down the nominations for final voting and advise the final voting process.
• This group has students, faculty, staff, and alumni from all three campuses and representatives from many on-campus organizations. A large portion of the group is made up of students and staff members who are alumni, representing multiple groups on campus. Our goal has been to create a diverse group that represents who we are as an institution. 
  

Mascot Nomination and Selection FAQs

Timeline

• Our goal is to carry out this process in the most streamlined manner possible while also making sure that the chosen mascot is one that all of our students, alumni, staff and faculty can support. 
• We are planning to use the 2025 Spring Semester to accept nominations and then narrow down those nominations to a handful of finalists by May.

Nomination Process 

• The nomination form will open January 27 and close February 12.
• All current students, alumni, staff, and faculty will receive an individual nomination form via email where they can nominate up to 3 submissions. 

Nomination Factors to Consider

During the review process, the Mascot Advisory and Selection Committee will consider the following factors when narrowing down the nominations to the final candidates:

What a mascot is/does:

• Whether the nominated mascot is one that the L&C community can rally behind
• Whether the nominated mascot is likely to inspire a sense of pride for students in competitive settings
• Whether the nominated mascots lends itself to imagery and branding that students, faculty and staff, parents and alumni will be excited to represent and wear (e.g. uniforms, hats, sweatshirts, etc.)
• Whether the nominated mascot will support the ongoing development of strong community practices, traditions, and rituals. 

The following submissions will NOT be considered:

• Pioneers, Newfoundlands, or any derivative thereof
• Nominations that are identical or similar to another mascot or college nickname in the Northwest Conference or region (e.g. Ducks, Beavers, Huskies, Cougars)

Additional Frequently Asked Questions