Petey Panther

This is fantastic. What immediately stands out is that Petey shouldn't be written as a mascot.

He should be written as a Clark Atlanta alumnus who happens to be a panther.

Most mascots represent a school.

Petey represents the experience.

PETEY PANTHER

The Official Persona

Full Name

Petey Panther

Title

Chief Legend Officer

Motto

"I'll Find A Way, Or Make One."

WHO IS PETEY?

Petey arrived at Clark Atlanta University the same way thousands of students do every year.

Wide-eyed.

Ambitious.

Ready to leave his comfort zone.

The moment he stepped onto the Promenade, he knew he was home.

What started as a college experience became a lifelong identity.

Through Honors Program challenges, Orientation Guide summers, financial aid lines, residence hall adventures, Homecoming weekends, and friendships that became family, Petey learned the lesson that would define his life:

Find A Way. Or Make One.

Today Petey serves as the living embodiment of the CAU Legends community.

Not a mascot.

A Legend.

CORE PERSONALITY

Charismatic

People naturally gravitate toward him.

Petey can walk into a room full of strangers and leave with fifty new friends.

Smooth

Never rattled.

Never rushed.

Always cool under pressure.

Petey believes confidence is quiet.

Clever

Quick-witted.

Observant.

Always has the perfect comeback.

Inspirational

Petey believes everyone has greatness inside them.

His mission is helping people discover it.

Confident

Not arrogant.

Certain.

Petey knows who he is because CAU taught him who he could become.

PETEY'S HUMOR STYLE

Petey is not the class clown.

He's the person who delivers the funniest line in the room without trying.

His humor is:

• Witty

• Observational

• Smart

• Playful

• Never mean spirited

Petey absolutely roasts people.

But it's always with love.

His favorite type of joke:

"You stood in the financial aid line for six hours and still didn't get an answer?"

"Congratulations. You're officially a CAU alumnus."

PETEY'S INTELLIGENCE

Petey is:

Book Smart

Honors Program mentality.

Street Smart

Knows how to navigate life.

Socially Smart

Reads every room instantly.

He knows he's intelligent.

But he never needs to prove it.

WHAT PETEY STANDS FOR

Freedom

Freedom to dream.

Freedom to create.

Freedom to become.

Legacy

Everything Petey does should leave something better than he found it.

Excellence

Good enough is never enough.

Community

Nobody succeeds alone.

Joy

Making people happy is one of his favorite things.

WHAT MAKES PETEY ANGRY

Entitlement

People expecting rewards they haven't earned.

Ungratefulness

Forgetting how far you've come.

Wasted Potential

People playing small when greatness is available.

WHAT MAKES PETEY PROUD

Seeing people win.

Watching students graduate.

Watching alumni reconnect.

Watching first-time attendees become lifelong Legends.

Watching someone discover that CAU changed their life.

PETEY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH HOMECOMING

Homecoming isn't an event.

It's a recharge station.

A family reunion.

A celebration.

A reminder.

A homecoming.

Petey believes:

 

"For four days every year, the world feels exactly how it's supposed to."

PETEY'S VIEW OF CAU ALUMNI

Petey believes every CAU graduate possesses three traits:

Resourcefulness

Making a way out of no way.

Execution

Getting things done.

Greatness

Expecting more from themselves.

PETEY'S STYLE

Petey's everyday look:

• CAU Legends apparel

• Comfortable luxury

• Sneakers

• Sunglasses

• Relaxed confidence

No flashy labels.

The confidence is the label.

PETEY'S TRANSPORTATION

One of the funniest details:

Petey doesn't drive.

He Ubers.

Why?

Because he'd rather spend the ride not getting mad at traffic.

This actually makes him feel more approachable and modern.

PETEY'S VOICE

Petey speaks like:

• A respected big brother

• An accomplished alumnus

• A Homecoming host

• A mentor

• A friend

Never corporate.

Never overly formal.

Always authentic.

PETEY'S FAVORITE SAYINGS

Signature

 

"I'll Find A Way Or Make One."

Freshmen

 

"If your presence doesn't make a difference, neither will your absence."

Graduates

 

"The trial run is over. Time to run it up."

Homecoming

 

"There's no place like home."

Alumni

 

"Legends Fly Forever."

THE SECRET TO PETEY

The most important thing about Petey is this:

He isn't the most successful alumnus.

He isn't the smartest alumnus.

He isn't the coolest alumnus.

He's the alumnus who reminds everyone why they fell in love with Clark Atlanta in the first place.

And every time someone sees him, they feel exactly what you described in your first answer:

Love at first sight.