With homecoming just around the corner, students across campus may be wondering exactly what the theme “Panthers on Parade” means. Originally Panthers on Parade was a collaboration between UNI and Cedar Falls Tourism. The TC sculptures were designed by local artists to be placed around Cedar Falls.
In March of 2024, the Northern Iowan met with Jennifer Pickar, the tourism and cultural programs manager for Cedar Falls, she said “Panthers on Parade is really a community pride project. Cedar Falls Tourism is working with the University of Northern Iowa to bring … 26 new, six foot tall fiberglass TC statues that will be showcased around the community from May through Oct. of 2024.”
Each statue is completely unique. Pickar explained that each mascot was created by local artists, saying “We have 20 local or area artists that are embellishing each of the TC mascots in a different way. Each mascot has a sponsor, so the artists have paired up with a sponsor to customize them, or to, you know, select a specific design. So they’re all going to be very different, very colorful and fun, and they’ll be placed at the sponsor locations on the very first of May.”
Pickar continued on to explain how the idea came about, “So, you know, our other large state universities in Iowa have done this. They have their mascots on display throughout their communities and we thought it was time to have that here in Cedar Falls. So the planning for this project, you know, to get it going, took a year. There’s a lot of pieces to it, but we’re really excited to see it come to be. We want TC to be showcased throughout the community. We just want Cedar Falls to, you know, step up a little bit and do a little more to show their pride for UNI. The university is super important to the community, and the community here in Cedar Falls is super important to UNI.”
Pickar touched on the community-wide effort behind the project, emphasizing the importance of both the artists and the sponsors. “We have such great local artists in this community. I can’t wait for their work to be on display in such a fun way. There are UNI alumni that are participating. There are UNI students participating as artists. So it’s just a really cool thing to see all of this come together. And, you know, this project wouldn’t be possible without our local sponsors. A lot of local businesses just jumped at the chance to be involved. We’ve got a great variety of businesses that came on board, and so I just really always want to thank them for helping us make this happen.”
Rachel Heine, the artist behind two of the TC mascots and a 2024 UNI graduate, spoke about the process she went through to create the pieces she called “Aqua Cat,” made for the Falls Aquatic Center and “TC Moneybags,” made for UNITE Credit Union.
“I just kind of keep my eye out for different little commissions they do around Cedar Falls, and so this came up, and I thought I’d be qualified, because I work in a variety of mediums. So from there, I just sent in some proposals, like of designs and stuff which weren’t like final but that was just so they could see who’s qualified. Then they paired me up with different businesses around Cedar Falls, and then from there, I worked with the business to come up with a different design for them.”
Heine noted her favorite part of her creative processes. She said, “Just having it completed, I guess and seeing the sculptures around Cedar Falls like in front of the businesses, or wherever they want to put them. Hopefully people like them take pictures with them, but just like seeing my work in Cedar Falls in general, because I already have a public art piece on Main Street, so these will be my second and third.”
This project was a large undertaking, but at the unveiling ceremony in April of 2024, the hard work paid off. UNI President Mark Nook spoke highly of the relationship between the university and the city of Cedar Falls, and admired the efforts supporting the creation of TC statues.
“My wife, Cheryl, and I always raid the art collection here on campus, and bring art to our home and try to beautify our home, to make it an extension of the art gallery. So, we’re very excited to have our whole community turn into an art gallery through this project … Really is a community that takes great businesses, great sponsors – people willing to step up and say, ‘I want to make a difference in this community and help beautify it.’ I think this is one of those things that is going to get some attention.”
Nook added, “Some people are going to want to come to just see the statues, and then they’re going to buy a burger, have a beer and stay in our hotels and really help our cities’ economy as well. So, thank you very much. Lastly, to the city of Cedar Falls, to the City Council, to the mayor, to the city staff, thank you for partnering on this. The partnership between the university and the community is so important. We know we’re an important part of this community, but what the community gives back to us, the way that they support this university and come out and help us get things done, recruit students, what a tremendous outpouring of support for this university, and what we try to do for the community.”
Cedar Falls mayor Danny Laudick, echoed President Nook’s sentiments regarding the relationship between UNI and Cedar Falls.
“Cedar Falls would not be the town, that is, if it wasn’t the fact that we are a university town. MSN had an article about a couple of the top towns that are expected to be much bigger than 50 years from now that could be boomtown. Cedar Falls was one of them, largely because of that relationship with the university and the fact that we have a community that people want to live in and raise their kids in, grow their families in, go to school in, and stay around. I always say I grew up here, so I have some personal connection here. But if it wasn’t for UNI, and the fact that I went to there for college, I don’t know if I would have stayed here. You know, I probably would have gone to college somewhere else. Probably would have gotten connected with another town, because those years in college is where you really start to engage with your community, with the businesses, nonprofits, whatever you get involved with if it wasn’t for the university, I don’t know if this would still be my hometown. So thank you to UNI for being such a partner in the community. We’ve talked a lot, you know, since coming on, about the importance of that relationship … We have to have each other, but actually leaning into and working with each other on the proactive basis.”
He continued, saying “So just as a chance for us to, as a community, rally to invest in our creatives, in a way, that brings people to the community, engages the quality of life, aspect of looking to attract talent here, and hopefully just build a little more pride with our university and for our students who call this home. So just thank you again to everyone who’s been involved this project. I know for staff, it’s been a lot of staff time, but into this before I was around, and I know this is a project has been very passionate for quite a few of our staff. Thank you to staff sponsors, everybody here for coming out, for the artist, families, for supporting the artists through this whole project.”
For more information, go to panthersonparade.com to learn about the TC statues before the end of October.
