GO OTTS!
Capping an intensive collaboration with Portland advertising legends Wieden+Kennedy, Lewis & Clark has unveiled the design of its new River Otter Mascot.
Open gallery
Meet the River Otter
01 | The Reveal
Playful, proud, and unmistakably Pacific Northwest, the River Otter is Lewis & Clark’s new mascot. Chosen by students, alumni, and employees, it brings a fresh current of energy—and a strong sense of place—to the college.
Why It Fits
02 | The Traits
The river otter rose to the top for good reason: it’s smart, scrappy, collaborative, optimistic, and a little unconventional. Playful and joyful on the surface, it also suggests grit, creativity, teamwork, and commitment when it counts.
Chosen Together
03 | The Vote
The River Otter won the hearts of the majority of community members who voted to make it the new mascot in October 2025, after a ranked-choice voting process that featured eight mascot options. Among students, faculty, staff, and alumni—with nearly 6,500 people voting—the River Otter won broad support across Lewis & Clark.
Made for This Place
04 | The Setting
The final identity doesn’t just present an otter— it places it here. Trees and flowing water ground the design in the Pacific Northwest and reflect Lewis & Clark’s long-standing connection to environmental stewardship, sustainability, and the culture of Portland and the region.
Behind the Design
05 | Taking Shape
The design challenge centered on how a river otter—often seen as a playful, gentle animal—could carry the presence and pride expected of a collegiate mascot. The resulting visual identity addresses this challenge directly through a thoughtful and inclusive design approach. Lewis & Clark’s River Otter is depicted as confident and proud, reinforcing a sense of strength rooted in character rather than ferocity. This intentional choice allows the mascot to resonate across the entire Lewis & Clark community.
Only the Beginning
06 | What Comes Next
The February 2026 art reveal was just the start. As a fandom for the River Otter builds organically, Lewis & Clark plans to keep developing the concept, including a mascot character story and a costume debut in fall 2026.
Did you know?
- River otters are famous for their playful streak—they slide, dive, wrestle, and chase one another, behavior that appears to help them build skills and social bonds.
- River otters are built like little torpedoes—they have long, sleek bodies, webbed feet, and powerful tails for swimming and steering.
- Healthy otter habitat usually means healthy waterways—they need clean water, enough prey, and good places to set up their dens.
- Their long, thin whiskers do real work, helping them detect prey in dark or murky water.
“When Lewis & Clark approached us to redesign their mascot, we knew it was a chance to do so much more than that—this was also an opportunity to support the school’s overall culture and establish a deep sense of school pride for years to come. We really hope people enjoy the River Otter as much as we enjoyed designing it.”
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A specially designed letterman’s jacket was the grand prize in a three-campus scavenger hunt. -
River Otter Week, February 16–20, marked the “otterization” of Lewis & Clark on all three campuses. The weeklong celebration was filled with themed installations, scavenger hunts, and giveaways, all leading up to the grand reveal of the new mascot design. -
The River Otter “photobombed” several pop-up portraits at all three schools. -
Capping an intensive collaboration with Portland advertising legends Wieden+Kennedy, Lewis & Clark has unveiled the design of its new River Otter Mascot. -
River Otter paw prints appeared in unexpected places on campus during the celebration week. -
River Otter pole banners enlivened campus. -
Get your own otterly fantastic spirit gear at go.lclark.edu/otts!
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