The University of Oregon logo emphasizes the natural sciences. Within the university’s walls is an impressive database supporting high-level teaching of various disciplines. The emblem highlights the practical application of acquired knowledge.
University of Oregon: Brand overview
Founded: | 1876 |
Headquarters: | Eugene, Oregon, United States |
Website: | uoregon.edu |
The Oregon Legislature decided to open the university on its campus in 1872. However, since there was not enough funding (or rather, the new structure did not have it), the people themselves took to help achieve the goal. Locals regularly held numerous fundraising events. These included produce sales, church donations, and strawberry festivals. The result was an accumulation of $27,500, enough to buy 18 acres of land for development at the time.
The doors of the college first opened in 1876. Enrollment consisted of 155 students. However, the lack of funds led to the fact that in 1881, the school was on the verge of closing. It was burdened with a debt of eight thousand dollars. Henry Villard, a journalist and financier, came to the rescue. He provided $7,000. Because of the new difficulties that arose in 1913-1932, the university was repeatedly offered a merger, which was declined. UO was not accepted into the Association of American Universities until 1969.
Meaning and History
What is University of Oregon?
The University of Oregon is an advanced liberal arts university popularly called U of O and UO. Over the years, it has achieved excellence in education and research (R1) and owns 19 research centers and institutes. It also has five colleges, seven professional schools, and a graduate school. Their basic fields of study are art, design, architecture, public policy and administration, planning, law, music, journalism, and other disciplines. In all, there are 360 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. In addition, the university has an athletic department that competes in the Pac-12 Conference and NCAA. Its most successful teams are recognized as soccer and track and field. The year the institution of higher education was founded was 1876. The location is the city of Eugene, Oregon.
1999 – today
A vertical stripe divides the University of Oregon logo into two parts. It is rendered in a monochromatic color scheme, featuring a flat and thin design. The left part is a prominent letter “O,” which appears more as a graphic symbol than a textual element. This symbol has broad and inflated sides, with the internal part resembling an oval.
The right part contains the full name, “University of Oregon,” written in a serif font. The text is divided into two lines: the top uses a medium-sized font, while the bottom part employs a much larger font, creating a balance between the right and left sides of the university emblem.
The “O” on the left side of the emblem symbolizes the university, representing its strength and influence in the educational field. The letter’s wide and substantial forms emphasize power and stability, while its oval interior adds a modern and stylish touch.
The right part of the logo, which contains the university’s full name, highlights the institution’s academic seriousness and prestige. Using a serif font adds a touch of classic elegance, underscoring the university’s historical significance and traditions.
The emblem is primarily used in a monochromatic color scheme, giving it a strict and professional appearance. The serif font used for the university’s full name signifies tradition and academic importance.
The Seal
Central to the university seal is the Latin saying “MENS AGITAT MOLEM,” borrowed from the poem “Aeneid” written by Virgil (book 6, line 727). The phrase means “reason moves the masses” or allegorically, “reason moves the mountains. As proof, the massive Siskiyou ridges with a high snow-capped peak are drawn in the center. Surrounded by forested hills and the Willamette River, the university is built on whose banks. The year of its appearance is also indicated in Roman numerals. The image is stippled, consisting of short and long lines of varying thickness. The color is monochrome, so the picture combines black stripes and a white background.
A dark ring with white dotted dots surrounds the middle of the print. It is followed by a wide space with the motto and the name of the higher school in Latin—”UNIVERSITAS OREGONENSIS.” All the inscriptions are written in upper-case fine print. The letters are serif. The edges are decorated with a round border shaped like a twisted rope.
Font and Colors
The University of Oregon’s visual identity marks are consistent in color. The only exception is the university seal, which is monochrome. This has more to do with historical heritage and the institution’s geographic location than contemporary symbols. There is also a correlation between the letter “O” in the university-wide and sports emblems, which stands for the state’s name.
The sans serif typeface used in the UO identity is Kievit. It replaced the old version and first appeared on the campus in 2015. It is now the main font. The sans serif version is the Melior font used before the logo redesign. The official color scheme consists of green and warm yellow hues. They are unofficially complemented by white, which acts as a background.