The Chowan Hawks are the athletic teams of Chowan University in Murfreesboro, North Carolina, competing in NCAA Division II. The university’s official athletic colors are royal blue and white.[1] The Hawks nickname and mascot, Murf the Hawk, date to 2006, when the university changed its athletic identity from the Braves in response to an NCAA ruling on hostile nicknames.[2]
Design and History
Chowan’s athletic identity is managed separately from the university’s institutional mark. The university’s official logo and usage guide identifies several athletic marks for use by the athletics department, including the Chowan Hawk, the Hawk Head, the Chowan C, and the Chowan University CU.[3]
The transition from Braves to Hawks in 2006 did not require a complete visual overhaul. At the time, Chowan University President Dr. M. Christopher White said the new logos were very similar to the old Braves logo, a blue “C” with a feather hanging off one side. “The old logo is the new logo,” White said. “We determined that the feathers on our logos were hawk feathers.”[4]
In late 2017, Chowan University announced a new branding strategy described as the most significant change to its visual identity in more than a decade. The new institutional logo was designed by Chris Stagl, Associate Professor of Graphic Design, with an official launch date of January 1, 2018.[5] This 2018 redesign applied to the university’s institutional mark, which incorporates McDowell Columns Hall, rather than to the athletic Hawks marks specifically.
Meaning and Symbolism
The 2018 university logo was designed to honor Chowan’s Christian heritage while incorporating McDowell Columns Hall, the first building commissioned on the campus and erected in 1851.[6] According to Brooke Reich, Assistant Vice President for Development and Director of University Relations and Communication, the redesign was motivated by research showing that peer institutions among Christian colleges and universities were adopting iconographic branding. The central pathway in the logo symbolizes the path to success students take as they enter and depart the university. A laurel wreath and the year of founding echo the university seal, and close inspection reveals a cross and chalice built into the negative space of the artwork, reflecting the university’s Christian heritage.[6]
Following the 2018 redesign, the university seal was reserved for more exclusive uses such as diplomas, official documents, and formal programs.[5]
Typography and Design
Chowan University’s brand standards require that the institutional mark be reproduced only from official artwork and that the image of McDowell Columns Hall and other logo elements always appear in white.[7] The university provides both horizontal and stacked versions of the institutional mark for different communication needs.[7]
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