The Northwestern sports mascot identifier is an important aspect of the university's athletics program. The mascot, known as Willie the Wildcat, represents the school's spirit and pride in its athletic teams. The identifier consists of various elements that help distinguish Willie as the official mascot of Northwestern. One of the key elements of the mascot identifier is the costume worn by the performer who portrays Willie. The costume features a full-body suit with the colors of Northwestern, purple and white. It also includes a headpiece that resembles a wildcat, complete with ears and whiskers.
“It’s about finding someone who has the means, has that interest and has that interest at the same time that you have that priority,” said Noah Drezner, a Columbia University professor who has studied philanthropy in higher education. “In many ways, you need that perfect storm. Some storms are easier to find than others.”
College leaders identify their biggest priorities and work to match prospective donors with a giving opportunity compatible with their own philanthropic interests. A Northwestern University spokesman would not comment about the specifics of any campus project, but university leaders told The Daily Northwestern in November that the inability to secure a big name gift is one factor delaying the work at Norris.
It also includes a headpiece that resembles a wildcat, complete with ears and whiskers. The costume is designed to be eye-catching and easily recognizable, making Willie the Wildcat a distinctive figure at sporting events. In addition to the costume, another important component of the mascot identifier is the behavior and actions of the performer.
Northwestern sports complex opens as student center stalls; some projects hinge on donor enthusiasm
Mascot "Willie," right, joins attendees gathering for a ribbon-cutting in the south entrance at the Walter Athletics Center, part of Northwestern University's new lakefront facility for football and other sports on their Evanston campus. (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune)
From just about any vantage point, Northwestern University’s newest building commands attention.
Floor-to-ceiling windows greet visitors to the Ryan Fieldhouse and Walter Athletics Center, a 96,135-square-foot behemoth looming over the lakefront on the northeast end of campus. The indoor sports facility features, among other amenities, a regulation-size practice field with a domed ceiling to accommodate the booming punts of its improving football team.
AdvertisementNorthwestern has visions of another grand building to the south: the University Commons. It was scheduled to be completed in 2019 at a cost of $150 million, a relative bargain compared to the $270 million price tag for the new athletic complex. But donor support has been lacking. For now, it exists only as a three-dimensional scale model on display in the basement of the aging Norris University Center, which it will eventually replace.
The two buildings — one realized, the other conceptualized — reflect one challenge universities face as they seek private dollars to grow their institutions. College leaders identify their biggest priorities and work to match prospective donors with a giving opportunity compatible with their own philanthropic interests. But not every item on the wish list spurs equal enthusiasm among benefactors, experts say.
Advertisement“No question that there are some areas of the university that don’t benefit as much from philanthropy as others,” said Mary Sue Coleman, president of the Association of American Universities and former president at University of Michigan.
“(Universities) are going to work diligently to make the case with donors that the priorities for the institution are where they would really like the donor to invest,” said Richard Legon, president of Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. “But the challenge is a lot of donors increasingly have their priorities.
“At the end of the day the donor is going to prevail.”
A three-dimensional scale model of the proposed University Commons is on display Aug. 1, 2018, at the Norris University Center at Northwestern University. (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune)
The athletic complex is one part of a five-year, $3.75 billion capital campaign that has galvanized donations to support upgrades like a new musical arts center, a new business school headquarters, a renovated basketball arena and a new dormitory. A Northwestern University spokesman would not comment about the specifics of any campus project, but university leaders told The Daily Northwestern in November that the inability to secure a “big name gift” is one factor delaying the work at Norris.
Experts say university philanthropy is not one-size-fits-all. Differences among campuses, campaigns and donors bases, as well as changes in the economy and the higher education industry all can create different fundraising outcomes. Sometimes, it is just a matter of timing.
“It’s about finding someone who has the means, has that interest and has that interest at the same time that you have that priority,” said Noah Drezner, a Columbia University professor who has studied philanthropy in higher education. “In many ways, you need that perfect storm. Some storms are easier to find than others.”
Private contributions to the nation’s universities have soared with the economy in recent years. Top private institutions now raise around $1 billion annually while major public schools raise mid- to high-nine figures.
People look over the view of Lake Michigan from the upper entrance foyer during the opening ceremony for the new Ryan Fieldhouse on the Evanston campus of Northwestern University on April 5, 2018. (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune)
Donors contributed $43.6 billion to U.S. colleges and universities in 2017, according to an annual survey conducted by the Council for Aid to Education. It was the highest total since the survey began tracking such figures in 1957.
AdvertisementIndividual benefactors continued to make larger gifts last year, as well, data show. There were more gifts exceeding $10 million, growing that total from $6.16 billion in 2016 to $7.72 billion in 2017, according to fundraising consulting firm Marts & Lundy.
David Bass, senior research director at Council for Advancement and Support of Education in Washington, D.C., said donors usually spend years giving increasing amounts to a university before committing one of those eye-popping megagifts.
“These principal gifts are something that really cements a very close relationship that these donors have with institutions. It’s not just vanity to put your name on a building,” Bass said. “You’re also seeing these gifts as something that memorializes the donor as a partner and a part of the institution — in some cases, literally.”
It’s these longtime supporters who rallied to launch Northwestern’s new sports facility, which was dedicated Wednesday.
It was conceived and spearheaded by head football coach Pat Fitzgerald and longtime university benefactor Patrick Ryan. Ryan, with his wife, Shirley, has given hundreds of millions to Northwestern over the years for purposes that go beyond sports. Multiple campus buildings, including the new music building, an auditorium and a nanotechnology center bear their names. The exact size of their donation to the field house was not publicly revealed, however.
Chicago insurance executive Pat Ryan, left, and wife Shirley Ryan arrive to a loud greeting from students as they attend the opening ceremony for the new Ryan Fieldhouse on the Evanston campus of Northwestern University on April 5, 2018. (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune)
Other major contributors include Kimberly Querrey and Louis Simpson, Stephen and Susan Wilson, and Lanny and Sharon Martin, all of whom are responsible for previous multimillion-dollar gifts to a variety of initiatives. The Ryans and the Martins also are co-chairs of the university’s capital fundraising campaign.
AdvertisementThe student center, however, continues to languish.
Norris opened in the early 1970s. Officials have said the new commons, 41,000 square feet larger than Norris, will have a more open layout and facilitate access to the nearby library and arts buildings. It also will have a 600-seat multipurpose room and more indoor and outdoor gathering spaces.
The Norris University Center at Northwestern University, which opened in the early 1970s, on Aug. 1, 2018. Norris Center has failed to attract a primary donor to support a major renovation. (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune)
The timetable for the project is unclear. In July, Northwestern President Morton Schapiro and his top administrators announced spending cuts to address a looming budget deficit. Reductions involve “deferring several major facilities projects,” though Schapiro did not specify which ones.
“We understand clearly that these necessary measures mean that some planned initiatives need to be put on hold and may create challenges for our faculty and staff,” Schapiro wrote in the July 19 campus message. “But by focusing on our core missions of teaching and research, and by providing the necessary support for those efforts, Northwestern will achieve our ambitious agenda.”
The dynamic at Northwestern has played out elsewhere.
Harvard University, for example, said in April that it had raised $9.1 billion for its capital campaign, easily surpassing the original goal of $6.5 billion announced in 2013. This included a $400 million gift in 2015 — Harvard’s largest-ever single donation — from hedge fund billionaire John A. Paulson for its rapidly expanding engineering and applied sciences school.
AdvertisementBut an effort to raise $400 million to renovate undergraduate student housing remained incomplete, the Harvard Crimson reported. University leaders said at the time that they expected the goal would eventually be reached as specific buildings are slated for upgrades.
Drezner, of Columbia, said it is common for subcategories within a campaign to over- and underperform even as the overall funding effort meets or beats its target.
The types of projects that fare better among donors will vary but experts agree most givers seek to make a tangible impact — be it physical buildings, student scholarships, endowed professorships or something else.
“A lot of our donors aren’t as concerned about having their name on a building,” said Jim Moore, president of the University of Illinois Foundation. “They really care more about what’s going on in those buildings.”
The holy grail of university philanthropy is the no-strings-attached gift: money a school can use however it wants. Those are rare, particularly with megadonations, but they do happen. Massachusetts Institute of Technology received an unrestricted $140 million from an anonymous donor in 2017. David Booth’s $300 million gift in 2008 was earmarked to University of Chicago’s business school but established no requirements for how the money was to be used.
The mascot is responsible for engaging with fans, rallying support for the team, and creating a fun and energetic atmosphere. This includes performing dance routines, interacting with spectators, and cheering on the team during games. The mascot's enthusiastic and entertaining demeanor is a key aspect of its identification as Willie the Wildcat. Furthermore, the Northwestern sports mascot identifier also includes the use of specific logos and branding materials. The Northwestern logo featuring Willie the Wildcat is widely used on merchandise, promotional materials, and signage. This helps to reinforce the association between the mascot and the university's athletic program. By using the logo and other branding materials, the mascot identifier further solidifies Willie the Wildcat as a symbol of Northwestern sports. Overall, the Northwestern sports mascot identifier is a combination of the costume, behavior, and branding elements that distinguish Willie the Wildcat as the official mascot. Through its distinctive appearance and energetic presence, Willie represents the university's athletic spirit and serves as a source of pride for Northwestern's sports teams..
Reviews for "Northwestern Sports Mascots: A Visual Journey Through Time"
1. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I found the Northwestern sports mascot identifier to be highly inaccurate and unreliable. The app failed to correctly identify the mascots in several instances, and even when it did identify them, the information provided was often outdated or incorrect. I was disappointed with the app's performance and would not recommend it to others.
2. John - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for the Northwestern sports mascot identifier, but it failed to live up to my expectations. The app consistently misidentified the mascots, often providing completely unrelated information. Additionally, the user interface was confusing and difficult to navigate. Although the concept is interesting, the app's execution left much to be desired.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - The Northwestern sports mascot identifier was a letdown for me. It struggled to accurately identify the mascots, often confusing one with another. The app also lacked additional features, such as detailed information about the mascots or the ability to save identified mascots for future reference. Overall, I found the app to be underwhelming and would not use it again.
4. Mark - 1/5 stars - I was extremely disappointed with the Northwestern sports mascot identifier. It consistently misidentified the mascots, sometimes even labeling them as mascots of entirely different teams. The app also had a slow and clunky performance, making it frustrating to use. I would not recommend this app to anyone looking for an accurate and reliable sports mascot identifier.