Symbols for Schools: Types of School Nicknames and How They Are Formed

• In Event: School Community, Climate, and Culture: Pathways to Belonging

Abstract

School nicknames are powerful symbols representing the shared values and culture of a school community. This study attempts to illuminate patterns in current school nicknames and examine ways that school leaders and communities approach changes to their nicknames. A total of 1108 postsecondary school nicknames were analyzed with mixed methods to form a classification system that was then used to measure relationships between nicknames and school characteristics. The preliminary results reveal school nicknames in six main categories, six different types of attributes, and 31 subcategories. A preliminary document analysis shows that the origins of nicknames vary, both in their inspirations (from influential school leaders to sports journalists) and their processes of adoption (from community led to appointment from school administration).

Author

• Andrew Hudacs, University of Maine