ECU (East Carolina University) Logo

ECU (East Carolina University) Logo PNG

Although the ECU (East Carolina University) logo is modern, the university itself is old, as it is over a hundred years old, founded at the dawn of the 20th century. The emblem represents the main values of the educational institution, its roots, and its priorities. The color palette speaks of the nobility of goals and the high position in the hierarchy of the educational system.

Meaning and History

After the need for teacher training arose in North Carolina, a special commission was created, which supported the idea and selected the location for the future university. Initially, it was East Carolina Teachers Training School, later renamed East Carolina Teachers College (in 1921). Now, it is the largest educational center in the state, an R2-level research university with a unique identity and its own athletic department.

The ECU (East Carolina University) logo is an officially registered trademark. The university has individualized the inscription “ECU” and the image of the university dome. Fragments of the Wright Auditorium facade (columns and arches) are present in almost all emblems. All of these are legendary symbols that make up the history of the institution. One of them no longer exists – the Austin Building. But an exact replica of its roof (rotunda) still adorns the campus and serves as a venue for various celebrations. It is called Old Austin Cupola.

What is ECU (East Carolina University)?

ECU (East Carolina University) is a higher education institution with its center in Greenville. It used to be a college, but now it is the fourth most important university in North Carolina. It was founded in 1907 by Thomas Jordan Jarvis, the governor of the state and the head of a specially established board of trustees.

Before 2008

The emblem consisted of a stylized silhouette of the main building – Wright Auditorium. The entrance facade fragments had the shape of tall columns with semicircular arches, so the logo resembled a lined square. At the bottom was a three-level inscription. This was the name of the educational institution, executed in the Matrix Extra Bold font – an antiqua with sharp serifs. A horizontal line separated each line. The lowest of them was four times wider than the others. All elements of the logo were purple. On a white background, they looked elegant and impressive.

2008 – 2017

To play on the presence of the yellow color in the university logo, designers added another detail – two curved lines with sharp ends. They resembled waves and were located under the columns of the main entrance of Wright Auditorium, which was simplified and moved to the upper left corner. The inscription also changed. It got thinner letters. The main space was occupied by the phrase “East Carolina.” The word “University” was placed separately – in the lower right corner. It was set in an uppercase grotesque.

2017 – today

The logo featured a fragment of another structure – the dome of the Austin Building’s roof. The building was constructed in 1929 and named after the former rector of East Carolina Teachers College – Elvin Robert Austin. Later, a replica of the rotunda with a sharp top was recreated and installed on one of the central campus alleys, becoming a signature element of the university’s architecture. Its name is Old Austin Cupola. The ancient building was demolished, leaving a legendary image of the emblem. It has a pentagonal shield as a background, with the abbreviation “ECU” at the bottom. The yellow color has disappeared from the logo.

Font and Colors

The base font for the university, used in ECU logos (both academic and athletic), is Matrix Extra Bold. This serif font has sharp tips resembling miniature hooks. It is complemented by Gotham, a font used in graphic designs and official documents.

The color scheme has remained standard since its approval in 1909. At that time, the administration of the recently opened educational institution held a contest among students to choose a unique color palette. Royal Purple and Old Gold won the vote and are still present in the visual identity of East Carolina University.

ECU (East Carolina University) color codes