COTC introduces new mascot — TC the Cat
Aims to reflect school’s ‘spirit of innovation’
NEWARK − Central Ohio Technical College no longer has athletic teams, but that doesn’t mean it can’t have a mascot.
The college recently introduced TC the Cat — short for catalyst — as its new symbol. The brightly colored cat is light blue, white and dark blue, sporting a shield on its chest with the letters “TC” in yellow on a dark blue background, and a yellow cape.
“We came up with catalyst. A catalyst for change. Changing their lives and their community,” COTC President John Berry said.
In addition to The Catalyst, the TC could also represent tech college or techcare for its technical programs, public safety careers and health care offerings, Berry said.
“Our new mascot will reflect the profile of our student population and will also embody COTC’S spirit of innovation, resilience and commitment,” Berry said. “Our students and the college are catalysts for positive change, and our new mascot will represent that spirit.”
In 2015, COTC and Ohio State University-newark eliminated athletics to help balance their budgets, ending the era of the Titans.
Berry became COTC president Jan. 1, 2019. He served as director of student life at COTC, before moving on to positions at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, North Carolina, Rhodes State College in Lima, Ohio, and Bridge Valley Community and Technical College in Montgomery, West Virginia.
“Ever since I came back as president five years ago, I thought there was something missing,” Berry said. “When I left, there was an athletic program, and that’s when we had a mascot, and that went away when athletics went away.
“COTC was left without any significant moniker, and we really felt that was a missing piece. A year and a half ago, I asked for something to represent the institution. So, we took a while.”
Sanath Kumar, director of marketing and public relations, said, “We used AI to come up with a name, including the features about what our values are, and it came up with some interesting options.”
Kumar said the goal was to create a mascot that was welcoming and strong, using the colors that are part of the COTC marketing brand. The design team made some changes and shared it with the president’s cabinet and the board. The process involved focus groups and several versions of the new mascot.
“Some were too intense and angry,” Berry said. “We want it engaging. We don’t want it to look intimidating. We wanted some vibrant colors and wearing a superhero cape because we believe our students are superheroes. They really created a great product. There’s enthusiasm around it we didn’t totally comprehend.”
The first step in creating a mascot is identifying who you are, Berry said. COTC’S mission is to meet the technical education and training needs of students and employers in the area. The colleges values are defined as helpful and inclusive, resilient and tenacious, and forward-thinking and innovative.
“Our new mascot will reflect the profile of our student population and will also embody COTC’S spirit of innovation, resilience and commitment,” Berry said. “Our students and the college are catalysts for positive change and our new mascot will represent that spirit.” kmallett@newarkadvocate.com 740-973-4539
Twitter: @kmallett1958