April 6 was National Tartan Day. Established by the U.S. Senate in 1998, the day honors the contributions of Scottish Americans.
Bradley has an official tartan, thanks to a 2015 contest sponsored by the College of Education and Health Sciences. Hospitality leadership major Carolyn Stewart ’17, who designed the winning pattern, is now a special event coordinator at Tasty Catering in Elk Grove Village, Ill. She said winning the contest is still a point of pride — and yes, she put it on her resume.
“There were so many details put into the design. It may just look like a pattern with our school colors, but every thread count and color have significance to Bradley’s history,” Stewart said. “My family is Scottish, and we take a lot of pride in our Stewart family tartan. To have my own design registered in the Scottish Register of Tartans is thrilling.”
Not surprisingly, Stewart owns several items featuring the Bradley tartan. “The scarf and the coasters are my favorite,” she said. Licensed through Collegiate Tartan Apparel, items featuring the university tartan are available at the Bradley Bookstore.
