On August 1, Temple unveiled a new athletics logo to replace the former mark created over 30 years ago. Acknowledging the university’s mascot, athletic traditions, and the legacy of Temple, the new logo draws its inspiration from the past while looking toward the future.

The owl has been Temple’s symbol and mascot since its founding in 1884, when it was still a night school, thus the “night owl” moniker. In 1977, the university held a “Name the Owl Contest.” Victor E. Owl I, was the winner selected among over 1000 entries. Stephany Gustauskas, secretary to the associate provost, won the contest and the prize included an autographed football signed by the team and coaches, tickets to the last game played at Veterans Stadium and an invitation to the Football Banquet Dinner. In 1983, Temple held another contest to name the new mascot, Victor’s descendent, with the winner receiving a 19” portable color television. The winning name, Hooter, was introduced during a Temple vs. Dayton basketball game on January 17, 1984. Hooter was joined briefly in the mid-2000’s by T-Bird and Baby Owl.

Just as the Temple “T”, created by graphic design students in Tyler’s School of Art and Architecture in 1983 was Temple made, so was the new owl logo designed by Joe Basack, a former Tyler graduate.  Basack collaborated with students Associate Professor Bryan Satalino’s senior capstone course in graphic and interactive design to create the new branding. The diamond shape, an iconic symbol recalling Temple founder Russell Conwell’s “Acres of Diamonds” speech, has been added to the Temple T along with the updated owl.

In this month’s Pop-Up exhibit are displayed some of the past logos, and various adaptations of Hooter T. Owl, and the Temple T.

-–Ann Mosher, BA II, SCRC