Published: Wednesday, 15 May 2019
It’s official -- Long Beach State’s new mascot will be the shark!
After a semester-long search process comprising of a submission period, a community poll, and a student referendum, President Conoley officially confirmed the students’ selection of the “sharks” as the new mascot.
With the retirement of Prospector Pete in 2018, a new campus identity needed to be decided on -- and it was the students who spearheaded this process from the beginning.
This ASI-led search for a new mascot was an inclusive process that involved input from the students, staff, faculty, alumni and the greater Long Beach community. Hundreds of submissions were accepted from these communities, and over 10,000 people with a passion for Long Beach State got the opportunity to give their feedback through a community poll and a student vote.
Ultimately, the “sharks” won 53% of the student vote against the other two finalists, the “stingrays” and “Go Beach” (which was a vote no mascot).
Now, a yearlong process is set to begin to design the new mascot to be released in late spring 2020. A new committee will also be appointed by President Conoley to help determine the mascot’s design and personality characteristics.
We would like to thank everyone, from the students to the staff to the community members (and everyone in between), for sharing their passion for the legacy of Long Beach State with us, and we can’t wait to see our new mascot. Go Beach!
Please download the comprehensive, step-by-step mascot search report here.
