Theme: Leading the Pack

Deadline for submission: Monday, Nov 9, 2026

Artwork Contest

Theme: Leading the Pack

UConn Early College Experience is seeking original student artwork for the cover of the Winter 2026-27 issue of the UConn ECE Magazine.

This year's theme, Leading the Pack, celebrates the students, instructors, schools, and communities that continue to set the standard for academic excellence, innovation, and opportunity.

Students are invited to create original artwork inspired by Jonathan the Husky, UConn pride, leadership, determination, and the spirit of the UConn ECE experience.

Artistic Inspiration

Artists are encouraged to draw inspiration from:

• Jonathan the Husky
• The traditions and history of UConn
• Leadership and achievement
• Academic excellence
• Community and belonging
• The journey from high school to college
• The future of education and student success

Students may also choose to explore the evolution of UConn's mascot imagery throughout history, including historical depictions of Jonathan and past Husky logos, as inspiration for their work.

Originality Requirement

Submitted artwork must be the student's own original creation.

While students may reference:

• Current and historical Jonathan the Husky imagery
• UConn traditions and branding
• Historical mascot artwork

the final submission should not be a copy, tracing, recreation, or minor modification of an existing logo or mascot illustration.

We encourage students to interpret Jonathan creatively through their own artistic style and vision.

UConn Brand Considerations

To maintain consistency with UConn's visual identity:

• Do not alter, recreate, distort, or redraw official UConn logos for use as logos.
• Avoid reproducing official Husky marks exactly as they appear in university branding materials.
• Artwork may be inspired by Jonathan and UConn traditions but should remain an original artistic work.
• Use of UConn colors is encouraged but not required.

Students may review UConn's brand guidelines, including information about the Husky logo and mascot history, for inspiration.

What We're Looking For

The strongest submissions will:

✅ Reflect the theme Leading the Pack
✅ Demonstrate originality and creativity
✅ Be visually compelling as a magazine cover
✅ Capture the spirit of UConn ECE and UConn pride
✅ Appeal to a broad audience of students, instructors, alumni, and school partners

1. Consider the magazine cover layout when creating your artwork. Download and review the UConn ECE Magazine Cover Template before creating your submission to ensure important elements will not be obscured by magazine text and graphics.
2. Eligibility: The contest is open to current and former UConn ECE students, certified instructors, site representatives, principals, and alumni.
3. Theme: All submissions must align with the Winter 2026-27 magazine theme, Leading the Pack. Artwork should feature an original interpretation of Jonathan the Husky and/or concepts related to leadership, achievement, opportunity, community, academic excellence, and the UConn ECE experience.
4. Original Artwork Only: Submissions must be the entrant's original work and may not be traced, copied, recreated, or substantially derived from existing artwork, logos, mascots, or copyrighted images.
5. One Submission Per Person: Only one artwork submission may be entered per person. If multiple submissions are received, only the first submission will be considered.
6. Photography Not Accepted: This contest cycle is limited to original artwork and illustrations. Photographic submissions will not be considered.
7. UConn Brand Considerations: Artwork should adhere to the spirit of the UConn Brand Standards. Students are encouraged to draw inspiration from Jonathan the Husky, UConn traditions, and historical mascot artwork; however, submissions should not reproduce or function as official University logos, marks, or athletic branding.
8. Historical Mascot Inspiration: Participants are welcome to explore Jonathan's evolution throughout UConn history as creative inspiration. Historical mascot artwork may inform the design process, but the final submission should be a unique artistic interpretation rather than a recreation of a historical logo or mascot image.

1. File Requirements: Artwork must be submitted in a format suitable for professional print reproduction. Minimum resolution is 150 dpi; 300 dpi or higher is strongly preferred.
2. Appropriate Content: Artwork must not contain material that is unlawful, infringing, defamatory, obscene, discriminatory, hateful, harassing, violent, offensive, or otherwise inappropriate for publication by the University.
3. Commercial Content Prohibited: Artwork must not advertise, endorse, or appear to endorse any commercial product, organization, or service.
4. Submission Deadline: Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 9, 2026.
5. Selection Process: One or more winning pieces may be selected by a panel appointed by the Office of Early College Programs. Entries will be evaluated based on originality, creativity, artistic quality, thematic relevance, visual impact, and suitability for a magazine cover.
6. Notification: Winners will be contacted by UConn on or before Monday, December 28, 2026.

1. License to Use Submitted Artwork: By submitting artwork, entrants grant UConn ECE a royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to display, reproduce, distribute, adapt, and publish the artwork for educational, promotional, and University-related purposes. To the extent feasible, published artwork will be credited to the artist.
2. Copyright Ownership: Artists retain copyright ownership of their original artwork.
3. Publication and Retention: UConn ECE is under no obligation to publish, return, or retain submitted artwork.
4. Responsibility for Content: Entrants are solely responsible for the content, originality, legality, and appropriateness of their submissions.
5. Contest Modifications: UConn ECE reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel the contest and to interpret these rules. All decisions made by the Office of Early College Programs are final.
6. Artist Recognition: The artist(s) whose work is selected for publication will receive a complimentary copy of the UConn ECE Magazine and select UConn ECE promotional items.

Submit Artwork

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