The University of Minnesota logo is simple and straightforward. The emblem demonstrates a sleek system of programs and teaching methods that unite the vast student body and faculty into a single entity.
University of Minnesota: Brand overview
Founded: | 1851 |
Headquarters: | Minneapolis Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States |
Website: | twin-cities.umn.edu |
Meaning and History
The decision to build the university was made in 1851. The first building was completed seven years later, coinciding with the official formation of the state. The institution was closed during the Civil War, and after 1868, it began operating under the Morrill Act, selling land plots.
The university’s logo appeared later than its seal and has remained constant.
The emblem consists of a large, massive letter M with five rectangular serifs of the same thickness as the letter’s stems. They may represent the five parts of the institution. The main campus is divided between two neighboring cities (Minneapolis and Saint Paul), hence the name Twin Cities. The other branches are in the major cities of Rochester and Duluth and the suburbs of Crookston and Morris.
“M” is an abbreviation for the state in which the institution is located. To the right or below the letter is a thin, neat signature of the University of Minnesota.
What is the University of Minnesota?
A state-funded and 24th-ranked research university offering over 460 undergraduate and graduate programs. On the territory of its five campuses, there are six educational centers and institutes.
Seal
The University of Minnesota seal consists of two circles. The outer one indicates the seal’s affiliation: “Member of the University of Minnesota Board.” The inscription states that board members used this seal to attest documents.
At the bottom, there is a five-petaled flower. It may represent the five campuses of the university and also depict the state flower Cypripedium reginae.
A thin rope image separates the outer and inner circles.
In the central part, there is a shield adorned with parallel stripes. They hint at the furrows of land depicted on the state seal. Agriculture is well-developed in Minnesota. The university itself survived thanks to the sale of land allocated for the development of agricultural programs under the Morrill Act.
Inside the shield is a papyrus with four images: a lamp, a telescope, a plow, and a palette with brushes. The lamp symbolizes the light of knowledge, reading, and studying sciences. The telescope points to Astronomy and space sciences studied at U of M. The palette speaks of the art department, and the plow represents agriculture, the study of which made the university part of the land sale program.
In the center, on the stripes between the four images, the university’s motto in Latin is placed crosswise: Commune vinculum omnibus artibus. It states that the university pays attention to all arts.
Font and Colors
The main shade of the logo is dark red. It is one of the primary colors of the university. It signifies nobility, balance, and deep study of subjects. The inscriptions are in black, conveying strictness, simplicity, and diligence.
The font is a light serif CG Times Regular.
University of Minnesota color codes
Burgundy | Hex color: | #7a0019 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 122 0 25 | |
CMYK: | 0 100 80 52 | |
Pantone: | PMS 7628 C |