New era of MacEwan Athletics begins with bold reimagining of iconic Griffins logo
Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – With a storied history of excellence going back more than a half century to the first season of MacEwan Athletics in 1974-75, the Griffins are proud to introduce a rebrand that will help usher in a new era over the next 50 years.
The new logo – featuring a sleek reimagining of the Griffin – was designed by Curtis Ogrodiuk and his cutting-edge Edmonton-based sports logo design company Artslinger.
It was unveiled during a special presentation and media conference Wednesday morning with MacEwan University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Annette Trimbee and MacEwan Director of Athletics Joel Mrak presenting.
"Today marks an exciting new chapter in MacEwan Athletics," said Mrak. "Our new logo takes a bold step forward for the Griffins and the refreshed brand identity reflects the strength, passion, and grittiness that define our student-athletes and our entire university campus. Every detail of this new look was designed with our community in mind – those who compete, those who cheer from the stands, and those who wear our colours with pride."
MacEwan Athletics Director Joel Mrak unveils the new Griffins logo during a launch event on Wednesday (Steven Stefaniuk photo).
"More than just a visual change, this launch is about building a stronger connection between athletics and the wider student body," continued Mrak. "We want every student to see themselves in this brand – to feel inspired, included, and proud to be part of something bigger. This design isn't just about a new look – it's a symbol of who we are and where we're headed, proudly representing the Griffins both on and off the field."
MacEwan University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Annette Trimbee, right, along with Athletics Director Joel Mrak and Griff celebrate the new logo on Wednesday (Steven Stefaniuk photo).
Artslinger, founded in 2009 by Ogrodiuk, has previously designed logos for Canada West and the Mount Royal University Cougars, among many others.
This project took on a special significance for Ogrodiuk, who is an alum of the Griffins men's hockey team (2003-06) and was a member of the program's first ACAC Championship team in 2003-04. He graduated from MacEwan's Visual Communications and Digital Media program in 2006.
"It was very cool to be able to work on this project," said Ogrodiuk. "Being a graduate of the school's design program in 2006 and playing on the men's hockey team, you could say I started this project 22 years ago."
The rebrand is the ninth redesign in MacEwan Griffins history and the first since a minor tweak was made to the banner of the previous logo in 2016. It's also the first major redesign of the Griffin since 2001.
Curtis Ogrodiuk enlisted the help of his design students at Lillian Osborne high school in the production of the new Griffins logo.
"When you find a niche in the design world, it's probably because you're passionate about it," said Ogrodiuk, who also had his students at Lillian Osborne high school help with the project. "For us, that niche is sports logos. We approach every project by putting ourselves in the student-athlete's shoes.
"Being a student-athlete for three years is a big advantage. Being a (Griffins alum) is even bigger. We're kind of designing the logos for us. What would we want to wear on our chest if we were there now?"
The result is a modern, timeless Griffins logo that's powerful in a protective stance, paying homage to previous logos, while portraying the tenacity, grit and passion of our downtown campus.
"I love the new identity," said Ogrodiuk. "It's fierce. It's proud. It's sturdy. It's confident."
