The Panther mascot of Cedar Falls is a symbol of pride and unity within the community. It represents the strength, agility, and determination of the students and athletes at Cedar Falls High School. The Panther is widely recognized and celebrated at sporting events, pep rallies, and other school functions. It serves as a rallying point for students, faculty, and fans, fostering school spirit and creating a sense of camaraderie. The Panther mascot has become an iconic figure in Cedar Falls, embodying the values and traditions of the school. It is often featured on school merchandise, uniforms, and decorations, further solidifying its role as a symbol of pride for the community.
“It's really been a partnership between University Relations, the UNI Bookstore, RAYGUN, UNI Athletics/Learfield and UNI Student Life/Admissions,” according to UNI spokesman Pete Moris. “It's my understanding that Athletics will use the shirts for their annual ‘shirt swap’ this weekend where students can trade in a shirt from another institution for a new UNI shirt.”
UNI doesn t have a contract with RAYGUN, but rather is working with the popular Iowa-based company through its standard fundraising program which donates a fifth of any product sales to an organization. Artists with a UNI, Cedar Falls, Cedar Valley or Iowa connection are encouraged to submit designs and apply to embellish mascots now through September 22, 2023.
It is often featured on school merchandise, uniforms, and decorations, further solidifying its role as a symbol of pride for the community. Overall, the Panther mascot is an integral part of the Cedar Falls High School experience, bringing people together and promoting a sense of belonging and unity..
Northern Iowa launches fundraising tradition in TC’s Tee
TC, the University of Northern Iowa’s panther mascot, poses in a “BADDEST CATS IN THE VALLEY” shirt, by RAYGUN. The shirts are part of an inaugural annual fundraiser for UNI scholarships. (Courtesy of the University of Northern Iowa)
The University of Northern Iowa prides itself on being a tight-knit community, and for years has been scheming up a way to remind new students and old of that tenet so central to its mission and experience. It might just have found the right “fit.”
This year, UNI students and supporters across the Cedar Valley and state will be sporting the first “TC’s Tee,” a new annual T-shirt tradition the campus hopes will raise camaraderie, Panther pride, and money for UNI’s general scholarship fund, housed within the UNI Foundation.
Priced at $24.95, 20 percent — or about $5 — of every sale of this year’s RAYGUN-produced shirt will support a variety of scholarships across the Cedar Falls campus.
The shirt — which comes in both purple and gold and in sizes small through 3X — uses RAYGUN’s signature all-caps style to boast: “BADDEST CATS IN THE VALLEY.”
“Just like the Panther family, TC’s Tee is all about helping others,” according to a web page for the shirt — named after UNI’s Panther mascot named “TC” or “The Cat.” “This is why all proceeds from the sales of TC’s Tee go directly into the UNI General Scholarship Fund to help current and future Panthers pay for their educations.”
UNI — like all of Iowa’s public universities — has been eyeing creative funding solutions as state support has slipped over the years, accounting for 77 percent of the Board of Regents’ general education budget in 1981 and just under 30 percent today.
Conversely, where 21 percent of the general education budget came from tuition in the early 1980s, about 64 percent does today.
Tuition rate hikes — like the 3.5-percent increase UNI imposed across its campus this academic year — come despite pushback from students, who have more cards to play in an increasingly competitive higher education landscape, with demographic shifts churning out fewer high school grads.
Even with the tuition bump this fall, UNI expects to generate $1.9 million less in tuition than it did last year — when its total enrollment dropped to 8,949, the lowest in 55 years since 1967.
Creative funding alternatives have included big ideas, like the University of Iowa’s $1.165 billion public-private partnership for the operation of its utility system, and small ones, like UNI’s limited-time-only T-shirts, aimed at becoming an annual tradition.
“Each year, a fresh new design will be introduced and the old design will be retired,” according to the TC’s Tee page. “Each design will be a limited edition.”
The plan is to debut the new design every summer when freshmen arrive on campus for orientation, “welcoming them to the family,” and then to make them available broadly. This year, outside orientation, UNI started peddling its shirts at the Iowa State Fair.
To date, more than 1,000 have been sold — bringing in more than $4,000 from the fair alone, according to Adam Amdor, a UNI spokesman.
TC’s inaugural tee as of this week is available in all RAYGUN stores — including in Ames, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Des Moines and Iowa City. The shirt, Amdor said, also is on the RAYGUN website and at the UNI Bookstore.
UNI doesn’t have a contract with RAYGUN, but rather is working with the popular Iowa-based company through its standard fundraising program — which donates a fifth of any product sales to an organization.
And although RAYGUN is the vendor for the inaugural design, Amdor said the campus could use a different vendor next year or in subsequent years.
“It's really been a partnership between University Relations, the UNI Bookstore, RAYGUN, UNI Athletics/Learfield and UNI Student Life/Admissions,” according to UNI spokesman Pete Moris. “It's my understanding that Athletics will use the shirts for their annual ‘shirt swap’ this weekend where students can trade in a shirt from another institution for a new UNI shirt.”
Athletics also will give away the shirts at sporting events this fall.
“It started with a simple goal: unite Panthers,” according to the campus promotion. “Students and alumni, faculty and fans. Musicians, athletes, gamers, bookworms and everyone in between. We are all one family, and we want everyone to know it.”
TC’s Tee
Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.
Comments: (319) 339-3158; [email protected]
Artists with a UNI, Cedar Falls, Cedar Valley or Iowa connection are encouraged to submit designs and apply to embellish mascots now through September 22, 2023. A stipend of $2,000 is available for the design and embellishment of each mascot. Details are available at panthersonparade.com.
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Reviews for "The Panther Pride: How the Mascot Inspires Success at Cedar Falls"
1. Jane - 2 stars - I recently attended a game where the Panther mascot of Cedar Falls was present, and I have to say, I was not impressed. The costume looked old and worn out, and it did not fit properly on the person inside. It was clear that the individual wearing the mascot costume had limited mobility, which made the performance lackluster. Additionally, the interactions with the crowd were minimal, and it seemed like the mascot was merely going through the motions. Overall, I was disappointed with the Panther mascot experience at Cedar Falls.
2. Mark - 1 star - As a longtime fan of Cedar Falls football games, I have to say that the Panther mascot is a major disappointment. The costume design is outdated and does not properly represent the fierce spirit of our team. Furthermore, the person inside the costume lacks energy and enthusiasm. They often seem disinterested and disconnected from the crowd. It's as if they are just fulfilling a duty without actually embodying the essence of a lively mascot. I believe Cedar Falls should invest in a new and more engaging Panther mascot that can truly lift the spirits of the fans and bring excitement to the games.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - The Panther mascot of Cedar Falls needs a serious makeover. The costume looks tired and worn, and it does not accurately depict the strength and power associated with panthers. Additionally, the person inside the mascot lacks charisma and fails to create an engaging atmosphere during the games. The interactions with the crowd are minimal, and it feels like the mascot is just going through the motions instead of actually energizing the fans. Overall, the Panther mascot at Cedar Falls could use a revamp to enhance the overall game experience for spectators.
4. Alex - 3 stars - While the Panther mascot of Cedar Falls is present at games, it doesn't offer much excitement. The costume design is decent, but it lacks the wow factor that would make it truly memorable. The mascot performer could use more enthusiasm and energy to engage the crowd better. It feels like a missed opportunity to create an electric atmosphere during the games. However, I appreciate the effort put into having a mascot, and with some improvements, it could be a more impactful symbol for Cedar Falls.