From the Chancellor: PNW Unveils Lions Athletics Nickname

Dear Purdue Northwest Community:

I am excited to announce that the Purdue University Northwest athletics teams will compete as the PNW Lions, effective July 1, 2026. The shift is based on input from students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members, who indicated strong attachment to the university’s distinctive “Leo the Lion” mascot representing the university community’s grit and determination.

As PNW celebrates its 10th year, we proudly reflect on how we continue to change students’ lives through nationally recognized academics, unique applied research opportunities, high-level NCAA Division II competition, unparalleled local economic impact, and so much more. We are excited to share a strengthened and unified institutional identity that shows the incredible forward momentum of PNW. As PNW Lions, our students, faculty and staff charge forward through any challenge and make impactful differences for our region’s communities and beyond.

The lion name and imagery captures the university community’s resilience and heart as students persist to their degrees and the spirit of the more than 530 high-achieving PNW student-athletes. The transition is informed by institutional research, conducted by our Marketing and Communications department in partnership with Carnegie Higher Education, on PNW brand equity. The research included qualitative and quantitative studies that engaged stakeholders from every corner of the institution – including student-athletes, student leaders, coaches, faculty, staff, and the surrounding Northwest Indiana and Chicago communities.

The feedback from these important stakeholders confirmed a shared desire for a unified identity that bridges the gap between our traditionally separate “academic” and “athletics” identities. The strategic alignment of the PNW Lions into our successful Power Onward brand platform aligns our bold lion mascot with the positive attributes of Purdue Northwest and the distinctive PNW logo. We’re also embracing a new PNW gold, currently used by PNW Athletics, that aligns us more closely with the Purdue system as a whole.

Over the next several months, Marketing and Communications will be working with key constituents throughout the university to introduce the subtle refinements to our logo system and new brand guidelines. If you have questions in the meantime, please reach out to marketing@pnw.edu.

Go Lions!

Kenneth C. Holford, Ph.D.

Chancellor