Panthers on Parade takes over the Cedar Valley
Panthers on Parade takes over the Cedar Valley
Panthers on Parade is a collaborative community pride initiative led by the Cedar Falls Tourism & Visitors Bureau in partnership with the University of Northern Iowa. The project invited artists with ties to UNI, Cedar Falls or the Cedar Valley to transform more than two dozen fiberglass statues of UNI’s beloved mascot, TC.
From May to October, these uniquely designed statues could be found (and some still are) displayed at sponsoring businesses across Cedar Falls and Waterloo, encouraging community members and their families to explore the area, take photos and even win prizes. The inaugural year of the project culminated during UNI’s Homecoming celebration, with “Panthers on Parade” officially designated as the 2024 parade theme.
Notably, 11 of the artists behind the statues are UNI alumni or current students.
Amelia Gotera
Amelia earned her BFA in Sculpture from UNI in 2024 and serves as an art fabrication assistant at the UNI Public Art Incubator. Her portfolio boasts several commissioned artworks, one of which graced Main Street in Cedar Falls from 2022 to 2023.
Spirit TC
Sponsor | University of Northern Iowa
Bright Future
Sponsor | FIT Courts
Sara Fitzgerald
Sara pursued her love for art by majoring in the subject at UNI and eventually became an 8th grade art teacher. Currently the 2001 alum is the art director at Prairie Lakes Church in Cedar Falls.
Ace
Sponsor | Hy-Vee
Ever Loyal
Sponsor | Western Home Communities
Agent TC
Sponsor | Structure Real Estate
Jaylin Vander Wiel
Jaylin, a graphic design student at UNI, has held a passion for art since childhood. Initially majoring in art education upon entering UNI, Jaylin later transitioned to graphic design.
The Cat
Sponsor | Witham Auto Centers
GC (Giving Cat)
Sponsor | Veridian Credit Unio
Rachel Heine
The daughter of two UNI alumni, Rachel graduated in May 2024 with a major in graphic design and a minor in marketing. She has also dedicated her time to working for the UNI Public Art Incubator program.
TC Moneybags
Sponsor | UNITE Credit Union
Aqua Cat
Sponsor | The Falls Aquatic Centr
Leah Runyan
Leah has a social work degree from UNI but has always been passionate about art! The 2011 alum enjoys working on murals and paintings and found success after creating a mural in her hometown of Waukon.
Valley Cat
Sponsor | SCHEELS
Alex Miller
As a studio art major at UNI, Alex dives deep into creativity. While he’s all about sculpture, he also dabbles in watercolor and ink paintings, showing off his love for different mediums.
Pizza Artist TC
Sponsor | Urban Pie
Susan Rolinger
Susan graduated from UNI with a BA in psychology and English. Additionally, her uncle and older sister were basketball players for UNI, and she herself was a member of the UNI tennis team.
TCʼs Hidden Treasure
Sponsor | First Bank
Brett Miller
Bret graduated from UNI in December of 1999, where he met his wife, also a UNI grad. A self-taught artist based in Waterloo, Bret’s artistic journey has led him to complete murals and numerous other public art projects in the Cedar Valley.
Fang
Sponsor | GreenState Credit Union
Stephanie Fever
Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from UNI, graduating in 2006 with an emphasis in painting. Her favorite aspect of being an artist involves learning and collaborating with young artists.
BotaniCat
Sponsor | Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens
Casey Slack
Casey graduated from the Department of Art at UNI in 1998 and later taught there for five years. Frequenting area coffee shops, Casey can typically be found drawing every morning. Painting a TC Mascot was on Caseyʼs bucket list!
“Here Comes Martin!”
Sponsor | Martin Bros. Distributing
Rose Smith
Rose spent three years earning a BFA in Painting from UNI where she was also involved in various activities, including the improv team, RodCon and the Women’s chorus.
Katsumi
Sponsor | College Hill Partnership
