When picturing Northeastern’s mascot, many students may conjure an image of a powerful Husky named Paws. But some students may have another husky in mind.
The lines are often squiggly. Its ears are a little more rounded. But the quirkiness of Hoosky has won the hearts of many Northeastern students.
Hoosky is a merchandise brand founded by Northeastern students that sells apparel featuring their logo — a cartoon husky. Though it began as a clothing and merchandise brand, Hoosky has created a name for itself by promoting its business with limited-edition sticker drop events across campus encouraging people to purchase from the website, which began in March 2024 with a St. Patrick’s Day-themed Hoosky.
But the origins of Hoosky go back further. The first drawing and idea of Hoosky was created in 2021 on a Discord server for the incoming fall freshman class of 2025 as a parody of Northeastern’s mascot, Paws.
“I just randomly made the Hoosky on my phone with my finger in two minutes — very humble beginnings,” said Hoosky CEO and co-founder Chloe Colipano, a fourth-year business administration and communication studies combined major.
Colipano founded Hoosky, alongside Head of Operations Andrew Lau, a fourth-year business administration major, and Director of Design and Communications Meagan Ellis, a fourth-year design major.
“We just wanted to have a community and then also have something to distinguish ourselves as Class of 2025,” Lau said. “It just really came out of the blue, and we just built all that.”
Sticker drops — originally inspired by the Instagram account @petr_the_anteatr, a parody of the University of California, Irvine’s anteater mascot, Peter — take place every Tuesday and feature 100 to 200 free limited-edition Hoosky stickers. The team posts the time at which the drop will take place on its Instagram story Tuesday morning, and at that time, the on-campus location of the drop is posted.
“Hoosky is a parody merchandise brand, like an offshoot of Northeastern a little bit. It’s meant to be very lighthearted, maybe meme-y,” Colipano said. “It was meant to be something to just promote school spirit and be a little bit of silly amongst our hardcore co-op culture.”
The Hoosky team consists of 11 staff members who hold a variety of roles, including social media, communications and designing the stickers. Past sticker designs have included a Mona Lisa-inspired Hoosky, a coquette Hoosky and a Beanpot-themed Hoosky.
Emma Rensin, a first-year marine biology major, has worked for the design team since the beginning of the fall 2024 semester.
“It’s already a really proud moment for me to walk around campus and see people with stickers that I’ve designed,” Rensin said.
The Hoosky community is well known on campus, and it has become a way for students to bond and form connections.
“Something we’ve noticed is that there is a community that’s rallied behind Hoosky, and it’s super heartwarming and wholesome to see people say that Hoosky is like their version of school spirit,” said Maddy Chang, a second-year business administration and design combined major and the head of creative marketing for Hoosky.
Hoosky has collaborated with many organizations and groups on campus, like the Resident Student Association and the pep band. The brand also designed jerseys for the club spikeball team and merchandise for parents at swim and dive meets. Notably, though, Hoosky is recognized for its collaboration with the Office of Prevention and Education at Northeastern by making a parody of its sexual resources program “Frisky Husky” to promote sexual health and awareness.
“I think that was one of my favorite drops last semester, just because it was a way for us to help spread awareness but also work with Northeastern in a way that sends a positive message,” said Hoosky Content Manager Michelle Liu, a second-year business administration and psychology combined major.
Moving forward, the Hoosky team hopes to expand the range of apparel it offers. But for first-year biochemistry major Liliana Mckenzie — who has collected six Hoosky stickers — Hoosky is an exciting way to showcase school spirit.
“I think Hoosky is an interesting way to bring a community of people together on something that can bring you a little joy in your everyday life,” Mckenzie said.
