Columbus, Ga. -- Columbus State University's athletic department has been identified by its logo consisting of a cougar head wrapped by a red letter C for almost 15 years.  A new Cougar has now taken residence at CSU. 

On Wednesday (August 18) CSU unveiled the "extreme makeover" edition of its new Cougar logo at the annual welcome-back picnic for the student body.  The new logo package consists of both a full-body cougar and a head-only version. Both versions can stand alone, but also come with various text options in a unique font. The blue used in the logos is just a touch darker than the previous logo, as well, moving from PMS 541 to PMS 540.

"We had a great logo, but it just was not very versatile," said CSU Athletic Director Jay Sparks. "We felt like we needed to upgrade and modernize our logos and get a package that we can use in a number of different applications. We are excited about our new Cougar." 

The new logos were created by Torch Creative, a design firm located in Dallas, Texas. The process began last spring with the final product coming to fruition at the end of July.  Feedback was gathered throughout the process from a committee consisting of students, staff, faculty, and administrators. 

"It was a fascinating and involved process," said John Lester, who directs the university's marketing efforts. "We were in search of designs that will quickly become synonymous with who we are and what we stand for. I really appreciated the input of our committee members. They were insightful and full of great ideas." 

Athletics was not the only CSU entity to get a new mark on Wednesday. The official logo for the university and its academic departments was also revamped and upgraded. The university's web address is also changing from www.colstate.edu to www.ColumbusState.edu.

The new logos for CSU are also going through the trademark process and are protected by law. Once the process is complete, the logos will be the registered marks of the university and its athletic department. That step was never initiated with the old logo, leading to a number of instances nationwide where the logo was copied and used by other organizations. 

Click Here for Video of Logo Unveiling