Rutgers-Newark Unveils New Scarlet Raider Mascot
Rutgers University-Newark unveiled its new mascot – a red, black and white fox named Scarlet Raider – on Wednesday afternoon at the Paul Robeson Campus Center.
The more vibrant version of Scarlet Raider was met with resounding applause and served as the grand finale of a campus event that featured a student fashion show highlighting the apparel and accessories developed in partnership with high schoolers from the Newark School of Fashion and Design.
“This mascot is so Rutgers-Newark,” said Director of Communications and Marketing Kimberlee Williams, whose office led the initiative to revamp the mascot to better reflect the campus’s dynamic and diverse culture. “The fox is about cunning; it’s about a fierce confidence to outsmart those who underestimate you.”
Students modeled the mascot-branded apparel, a line of athletic wear, featuring a lettermark inspired by the famous “Newark” marquee of the old Paramount Theatre on Market Street and designs incorporating Scarlet Raider’s graphic identity. The items will be sold at an online store.
“Partnering with Newark School of Fashion and Design was a natural fit, allowing students to apply their skills in a real-world branding project while shaping the university’s evolving identity,’’ Williams said.
Newark students from Rutgers Business School were also involved in the project, developing promotional strategies, working with Marketing Professor Yla Eason. She is the creator of Sun-Man, the first mass-market African American superhero action figure, now part of Mattel’s Masters of the Universe collection.
A symbol of school spirit and pride that engages with students, alumni, and fans at various events, the first Scarlet Raider costume was officially unveiled on Nov. 6, 2019, two years after the student body adopted the fox as the campus mascot.
The new iteration was designed by Amy Skiles of Phoenix Design Works, a firm that specializes in designing collegiate mascots.
Students participated in interactive workshops and feedback sessions where they presented their concepts and received real-world branding critiques to refine their designs to align with Rutgers-Newark’s official visual identity.
“I think it looks great,” said Kevana Dupree, a junior business major from Brooklyn. “The red-and-black look is perfect and represents Newark so well.”
The evolution of the Scarlet Raider will continue in the months and semesters ahead with Rutgers-Newark students set to further develop the mascot’s character and backstory.
“It’s pretty exciting,” said Jaisaun Martinez, a senior psychology major from Plainfield. “It was definitely time for a change. The mascot really embodies our spirit now.”
