Making Magic Happen: Behind the Scenes with Provost Fabrication and Burns Design Group

Something new is taking shape at Mount Saint Joseph Academy, and it's been months in the making.

This fall, the Mount Saint Joseph Academy Athletic Center opens its doors, and with it comes a new mascot for Mount Saint Joseph Academy athletics. The character's name, story, and look will be unveiled in the weeks ahead, building to a live debut at the Grand Opening Celebration on October 23. But the mascot itself is only the visible part of a much longer process, one that has involved a nationally respected costume design studio, a dedicated brand design team, and months of conversations with the people who know Mount Saint Joseph Academy best: its coaches, athletes, alumnae, and school leadership.

Built by the Studio Behind Some of the Most Recognizable Characters in Sports and Entertainment

Mount Saint Joseph Academy's new mascot is being brought to life by Provost Fabrication, a full-service design and fabrication studio based in Norristown, Pennsylvania. The studio traces its roots to Character Translations, Inc., founded in New York City in 1984 by Ardia Dayton, whose early career included costume work for Ringling Brothers Circus, Disney on Ice, and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. One of the studio's first major projects was building costumes for Kellogg's Tony the Tiger and Garfield, characters the shop still calls the godfathers of its craft.

In the decades since, the studio's portfolio has grown to include some of the most recognizable mascots in professional sports and entertainment: Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers' mascot and a genuine internet phenomenon since his 2018 debut; Phang of the Philadelphia Union; Winston of the Philadelphia Wings; the Red Robin restaurant mascot; Chico of the El Paso Chihuahuas; and university mascots including the NYU Bobcat and Screamer of York College of Pennsylvania, among many others. The studio has also built puppets and scenic elements for Broadway and television productions, including the Audrey II puppet for stage productions of Little Shop of Horrors.

That range of work, spanning national brands, professional sports franchises, and Broadway, is why Mount Saint Joseph Academy chose this studio for the Mount's new mascot: proven craftsmanship, a rigorous design-and-approval process, and a track record of building characters that fans genuinely love.

A Process Built on Listening, Not Just Design

Before a single sketch was finalized, Mount Saint Joseph Academy brought together voices from across the community to make sure the new mascot and athletics identity would feel authentically Mount. "Rise With Purpose," the rallying cry behind the Academy's refreshed athletics identity, was developed internally by the school's own marketing and admissions team as a natural extension of "Where She Rises," the institutional promise that already guides how Mount Saint Joseph Academy tells its story. The accompanying visual identity, including the refreshed athletics colors, logo, and wordmark, was then brought to life by designer John Burns of Burns Design Group, working directly with the Mount team to make sure the look matched the message. BDG has collaborated with clients across the independent school marketplace, including La Salle College Preparatory High School, Saint Joseph's Preparatory School, Ancillae-Assumpta Academy, and more.

That collaboration with Mount Saint Joseph Academy extended well beyond the design table. School leaders across academics, athletics, admissions, and marketing helped guide the process alongside coaches, student-athletes, and alumnae who offered feedback at each stage. The goal was simple: a mascot and identity that would energize school spirit without losing sight of what has always made Mount Saint Joseph Academy distinct, nearly 170 years of Catholic tradition, academic excellence, and the mission of the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

Every decision, from the mascot's personality to the colors woven into the costume itself, was reviewed with that same question in mind: does this feel like The Mount?

What's Next

The mascot's name and character art will be revealed in the coming weeks, with the costumed character making its first public appearance at the Athletic Center Grand Opening Celebration on Friday, October 23, from 4 to 7 PM. The event is free and open to the whole Mount community, students, alumnae, parents, and friends, and will include a tour of the new Athletic Center, a robotics demonstration, the Athletics Museum, and the first JV and Varsity Volleyball games.

Until then, Mount Saint Joseph Academy is keeping the details close. Follow along on Instagram and Facebook for updates as the reveal unfolds.

RSVP for the Grand Opening Celebration here.