Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– Stephen F. Austin State University has relaunched its signature “Lumberjacks make great …” campaign to strengthen statewide awareness of the SFA brand and connect with a new generation of students.
The refreshed campaign highlights the success and character of SFA students, alumni and faculty — showing that Lumberjacks make great nurses, educators, innovators, entrepreneurs, leaders and so much more.
“This campaign and updated design are about strengthening recognition of the SFA brand across Texas,” said Dr. Neal Weaver, SFA president. “It’s a way to build pride, celebrate success and tell the SFA story to audiences who may not yet know us.”
Research conducted last year by Hanover Research revealed that while SFA enjoys a strong reputation among alumni and East Texans, brand awareness among prospective college students outside the region lags behind that of other universities. The campaign responds to that finding through bold new visuals and storytelling that highlight SFA’s impact and alumni success.
New billboards are now active in Houston, Dallas and East Texas, with additional signage debuting this week inside William P. Hobby and Dallas Love Field airports. The campaign will also extend into digital spaces with a complete redesign of SFA’s official website, sfasu.edu, launching in spring 2026. The new site will feature a modern look, interactive tools and a more engaging experience for prospective students and families.
“We’ve seen record interest in SFA over the past year, even without a comprehensive campaign,” said Korbin Pate, executive director of University Marketing Communications. “This campaign builds on the momentum and buzz around our institution, expands our reach, and shares the powerful stories of our students, alumni and faculty with audiences across Texas.”
The campaign relaunch coincides with the unveiling of a modernized Lumberjack design, designed to connect more effectively with prospective students and younger audiences. The updated mark complements SFA’s classic imagery while enhancing its appeal across digital platforms, merchandise and recruiting materials, which are key areas for reaching high school and transfer students.
“The classic Lumberjack will always be part of who we are,” Pate said. “This isn’t a rebrand or a replacement. Our traditional mark remains an important part of SFA’s identity and will continue to appear across our branding and apparel. The refreshed design simply builds on that foundation to help us connect with younger audiences identified in our research and strengthen awareness of the SFA name across the state.”
A year ago, SFA partnered with Torch Creative, a Dallas-based studio specializing in sports logos, collegiate mascot illustration and athletic branding, to guide a committee of a dozen students, alumni, faculty and staff representing a wide variety of departments on campus in selecting the new design. The committee held several focus groups with student-athletes and student leaders while emphasizing the theme “It's a great time to be a Lumberjack” throughout the process.
To commemorate the new design, students, alumni, faculty and staff and community members can pick up stickers, face tattoos and lapel pins featuring the new mascot at Homecoming events all this week. They’ll also have opportunities to take photos with the 7-foot-tall mascot cutout and see the new Lumberjack in the sky at the Homecoming drone show, bonfire and concert Friday at 8 p.m. at the Intramural Fields.
Merchandise featuring the new mascot is available at the Lumberjack Team Shop, Barnes & Noble Bookstore and Jack Backers.
For more information about this week’s Homecoming events, visit sfasu.edu/homecoming.