Oregon State University Logo PNG
The Oregon State University logo introduces the user to the region’s peculiarities. The emblem contains all the identification marks that characterize the state and indicate the place where the sciences are taught.
Oregon State University began in 1856 as Corvallis Academy, opened in the Oregon Territory with help from local Masons. The lodge helped plan the campus and donated the first land. At the same time, John Wesley Johnson became the first administrator and teacher. In 1860, the school was taken over by the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1865, William A. Finley became its first president as the college began granting bachelor’s degrees.
On October 27, 1868, Oregon lawmakers made Corvallis College the state’s agricultural college under the Morrill Act of 1862. Oregon received 90,000 acres of federal land to fund agricultural education. In the same year, similar status went to the University of Illinois at Urbana and the University of California, Berkeley. Corvallis offered agriculture courses by 1873 and came under full state control in 1885.
The college grew fastest under William Jasper Kerr, who served as president from 1907 to 1932. Enrollment rose from about 1,300 students to more than 3,300, while the faculty expanded from 40 to over 180. Kerr reorganized the institution into schools of agriculture, commerce, engineering, and home economics. KOAC radio began in 1923, accreditation followed in 1924 and 1926, and the name Oregon State College appeared in 1937.
After World War II, Oregon State added Navy ROTC in 1946 and Air Force ROTC in 1949, joining a small group of universities with officer training for all military branches. Linus Pauling, a 1922 graduate, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962. The school became Oregon State University on March 6, 1961. Terry Baker won the 1962 Heisman Trophy, Dick Fosbury took Olympic gold in 1968, and in 1993, OSU gained Carnegie top-tier research status, ahead of the University of Oregon in that category.
Meaning and History
Oregon State University is one of the few US universities participating simultaneously in the Land Grant, Sun Grant Association, National Space Grant, and National Sea Grant programs. This means he is engaged in agriculture, conducts ocean research, studies alternative energy sources, and develops the aerospace industry. This versatility is reflected in the logo created in 2017 by Pentagram. The designers examined the institution’s history and borrowed elements from the seal to make OSU easy to identify.
What is Oregon State University?
This prestigious public research university in Corvallis, Oregon, is known for its extensive programs in agricultural sciences, engineering, forestry, and oceanography. The campus, which combines modern research centers and laboratories with historic red-brick buildings, is situated at the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, giving it a distinct charm. The coastal Hatfield Marine Science Center and the university’s research fleet exemplify unique opportunities for marine science research. The university comprises 11 colleges and offers over 200 programs, covering fields such as food science, robotics, and renewable energy. The Beavers athletic teams compete in the Pac-12 Conference, and student life is rich with clubs, organizations, and cultural events, creating a diverse and vibrant environment.
1868 – 2017
The old Oregon State University logo debuted in 2003. It contained only inscriptions because it was intended primarily for paper media. The entire space was visually divided into two parts. In the left half was the university’s full name: the phrase “OREGON STATE” at the top and the word “UNIVERSITY” just below. The designers took bold black sans-serif as a basis and combined letters of different sizes to highlight the first line. The area on the right was reserved for the orange abbreviation “OSU.”
This graphic symbol was used for a long time, but it did not reflect the educational institution’s uniqueness. For example, the abbreviation OSU simultaneously referred to two universities: Oklahoma State University and Ohio State University. So, the initials did not allow for the unmistakable identification of Oregon State University.
2017 – today
In honor of the 150th anniversary, the educational institution updated its identity, for which its owners turned to Pentagram for help. The designers linked the university’s logo with an old presidential seal and the Oregon State Beavers sports team emblem, created in 2013. So, the beaver sitting on the shield became the university’s main symbol. But where did this animal come from? The beaver is featured on one side of the Oregon flag. It is considered the national symbol of the state.
Pentagram employees decided to combine elements from the flag and coat of arms. They ended up with an unusual combination, although they had to remove any “extra” elements, such as a covered wagon, ships, and a bald eagle. According to the designers, the new heraldic shield contains the most important objects: one Pseudotsuga menziesii fir, mountain peaks with three stars, the setting sun, ocean waves, and an open book.
The second part of the OSU logo is the inscription “Oregon State University,” divided into two lines. Bold geometric font and a combination of contrasting colors (black and orange) make the wordmark look like the previous graphic symbol. The text may be on the right or below the coat of arms, but it is forbidden to separate them.
The Seal
The presidential seal is affixed to graduates’ diplomas, found in the university’s official documents, and used in the Office of the Provost and the Office of the President. This symbol is the same as the state of Oregon’s coat of arms, adopted in 1857. OSU approved it as a seal in 1859 when Oregon officially became the 33rd state of the Union.
There are many symbolic images in the visual sign. Firstly, it looks like a heraldic shield, a sign that its predecessor was a coat of arms. Secondly, the seal contains many historical metaphors. Above is an eagle, the national bird of America. In the shield’s center is a closed wagon with two oxen harnessed. These are the pioneers who came to the empty lands of Oregon. The place on the right is occupied by a whole artistic composition: a landscape of three trees and a lone elk against the backdrop of mountains. Pseudotsuga menziesii evergreen firs grow in a makeshift “forest.” They represent the region’s picturesque nature. Somewhere behind the mountain, the sun is setting, hinting at the horizon’s western side.
The ocean occupies almost a third of the shield. Two warships, English and American, are sailing on the water. The artists sought to convey the technical excellence of the American ship and to present it as a pursuer. The most important element for OSU is at the bottom. It is a haystack with a plow, representing its connection with the agricultural heritage on the state emblem. The university seal symbolizes the institution’s agricultural focus.
Font and Colors
The shield on the logo reflects the university’s participation in four grants. The cosmos is represented by three stars, which simultaneously symbolize the OSU campuses. The sun represents the development of alternative energy sources. The waves link to the National Sea Grant, and the tree to the Land Grant. The peaks of the Three Sisters inspire the mountain peaks. A beaver, the mascot of the Oregon State Beavers sports teams and the state’s national animal, sits on the heart-shaped shield.
Designers from Pentagram have developed new typography for the OSU logo. It is based on the Roman Newzald, created by the Klim Type Foundry. In addition, the university acquired a changed color scheme during the rebranding process. It consists of Beaver Orange (#D73F09), Bucktooth White (#FFFFFF), and Paddletail Black (#000000).