The UGA logo opens the door to one of the oldest universities that have survived the dark periods of the country’s history. At the same time, the emblem shows that knowledge is under reliable protection here, and no historical events have affected the work of the university and the desire to serve their homeland.
UGA: Brand overview
Founded: | January 27, 1785 |
Headquarters: | Athens, Georgia, United States |
Website: | uga.edu |
Meaning and History
Judging by incomplete archival data, the UGA seal and motto were created in 1801 by one person – Josiah Meigs. That year, the trustees chose a site to construct the university, and the new school president, Josiah Meigs (part-time the only professor), began teaching physics without a suitable room. The first building appeared only later – in 1802. Students graduated in 1804. Graduates received diplomas with a seal that contained the inscription “Universitas Georgiae Sigillum 1801” inside the circle. There was also an old motto in Latin. At that time, it consisted of the phrase “Et docere et rerum exquirere causas.” In 1990, the word “serve” was added to the phrase, but this did not affect the press.
Although the UGA logo has a short history, it has undergone one redesign. It reflects tradition because it depicts the famous arch of the University of Georgia, which is shown in the modern press and rising on the campus.
Old
Until 2016, the logo featured a black arch within a white circle with a dark outline. The design with three columns and an arc at the top looked almost identical to the print but without detailing. This element seemed small against the background of the inscription, which the designers placed at the bottom.
Immediately below the arch was a long and wide line of dark red. Inside it, centered, was the white number “1785”. The university’s full name was even lower, with the article “The” in front of it. The high-contrast font with thin, long serifs was legible, but the narrow spacing caused some letters to blend. The phrase was underlined with a thin black stripe.
2016 – today
In April 2016, UGA announced its intention to update the logo, which unites all university departments, academic programs, and colleges. Work was carried out until September, after which a new version of the badge with an arch was presented to the public. The traditional element has become white and stands out due to the dark background. The silhouette of the arch is formed by negative space inside a rectangular shield with a rounded base. It, in turn, is divided into two color blocks: a black top and a red bottom. The year of the foundation of the educational institution is written at the bottom.
To the right of the icon is the phrase “UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA,” already without the usual article “The.” The current design consists of capital letters. The black words “UNIVERSITY OF” are above the red “GEORGIA,” placed on a separate line.
Seal
According to historical documents, the seal with the arch and the date of the university’s foundation appeared in the late 1890s. It was first used on the diplomas of students who graduated in 1897. The modern version has a similar structure. It is based on the Great Seal of the State of Georgia, which has existed since 1799. Like the state symbol, there is an arch in the central part—the embodiment of the State Constitution.
Three columns reflect the division of powers into the corresponding number of branches. On the upper arc is the word “CONSTITUTION,” and the state motto is written in Latin on the scrolls attached to the columns. It is divided into several parts: “WIS” and “DOM” on the left, “JUSTICE” in the middle, and “MODER” and “ATION” on the right.
The arch rises on three long steps. According to legend, a warrior, one of the militias participating in the American War of Independence, stands there. The sword raised in his hands symbolizes his readiness to defend the current laws of the United States.
On the UGA seal, the central graphic elements are placed in a ring and surrounded on top by the motto of the university, coined by Josiah Meigs back in 1801. The original Latin version remains: “ET DOCERE ET RERUM EXQUIRERE CAUSAS.” Outside the black ring, the words “SIGILLUM,” “UNIVERSITAS,” and “GEORGIAE” are written, separated by bold dots. And at the bottom, instead of the date of adoption of the State Constitution (as on the state symbol), is the year the university was founded – 1785.
Font and Colors
The specialists of the Division for Marketing and Communications worked on the logo. They surveyed students and teachers, which showed that everyone considers the arch and the number “1785” to be the most important symbols of the educational institution. Therefore, they were included in the new graphic sign. However, many called the article “The” excessive, so it no longer exists.
The arch is depicted inside a heraldic shield, with three columns protruding beyond the white horizontal line separating the blacktop and red bottom. Small black triangles create three-dimensional space on the right side of each column. As a result, the line seems to be a curb, and the arch is in front of it.
One of the university’s official fonts is the Merriweather serif. However, the logo creators used completely different versions of the typeface. The letters on the top line have rectangular serifs, while those of the word “GEORGIA” are sharp and elongated. The font in the first case resembles TeX Gyre Schola Bold by GUST e-foundry, and in the second, it resembles Begum Semi Bold by Indian Type Foundry.
An equally important element of the UGA identity is the color scheme. If the print is black and white, the logo is more colorful. His colors are called Chapel Bell White (#FFFFFF), Arch Black (#000000), and Bulldog Red (#BA0C2F).
University of Georgia logo