Owls Primary Logo

The Kennesaw State Owls have a long and storied history of athletic excellence. For decades, their iconic logo has been a symbol of that success and pride. Today, we’re taking a look back at the evolution of this beloved emblem over the years.

It all began in 1966 when Kennesaw Junior College adopted its first official mascot – an owl named “Owlbert” – to represent the school spirit and pride shared by students, faculty, staff, and alumni alike. The college then commissioned artist Frank Cotham to create an accompanying logo for Owlbert that featured him perched atop two crossed swords (in honor of nearby Marietta's Civil War heritage). This design was used until 1993 when it was replaced with one featuring Owlbert standing on top of KSU initials inside a shield-shaped frame with stars around it.

In 2008, as part of KSU's transition from junior college status to becoming Georgia’s third-largest university system known today as “Kennesaw State University," another update was made to reflect this new identity: A more modern version featuring just the headshot silhouette profile view image surrounded by three red stars incorporated into our current primary logo design seen today across campus grounds!

Today marks nearly fifty years since that original artwork debuted, but even after so much time has passed since then - one thing remains unchanged: Our beloved Kennesaw State Owls Logo still proudly stands tall representing not only our institution but also those who call us home!