Washington State University Logo PNG
The educational institution depicted on the emblem produces strong, confident, athletic, and educated people. The WSU logo focuses on the personality of the student. Education has one task – to help reveal the talents and abilities of the student.
WSU: Brand overview
| Founded: | March 28, 1890 |
| Headquarters: | Pullman, Washington, United States |
| Website: | wsu.edu |
Meaning and History
In the spring of 1890, the Washington legislature signed an executive order establishing the Agricultural College, Experiment Station, and School of Science of the State of Washington. It was then formally approved by the governor. A second law was then passed that greatly expanded the educational function of the institution. Two areas of general arts and science were added to the curriculum. However, the final direction did not take shape until 1894, when the university’s first experimental agrarian station was opened. As a result, three courses of study emerged: agriculture, domestic science, and engineering.
For the first decades of its existence, WSC competed with UW. The relationship between the two universities was extremely tense. They competed for state appropriations because they were actually in the same region. The situation escalated in 1909. But then came the Great Depression, which dramatically affected national education: students, faculty, and finances were in short supply. In the fall of 1959, the college finally received its well-deserved status as an institution of higher learning and a new name: Washington State University.
The university emblem is Washington State’s universal pride. It is placed on business papers and academic documents, used as a mark, signature, affiliation identifier, and even in space, as the distinctive mark on astronaut John Fabian’s spacesuit. Its basic element is a puma head, invented in 1936 by a student named Randall Johnson.
The modern interpretation of the icon has a very complex composition because it is, in fact, not a drawing but a text. The image of the predator with its mouth open encodes the university’s abbreviation. “W” is the scruff and stripes on the hide, “S” is the muzzle, smoothly transitioning to the neck and throat, and “U” in the lower jaw of the open mouth. The head is on a pentagonal shield, which did not exist before. On the right side is the full name of the university, arranged in two lines. The first character in each word is highlighted: it is larger than the others, although all the letters are capitalized. There is a harmonious link between some of the characters. AS”, “UN,” “VE,” and “RS” have it.
The Seal
WSU’s seal is circular, but it is still not a classic seal. The centerpiece is a portrait of George Washington, shown in profile and framed in gray tones. It is a tribute to the state’s great historical heritage and a connection to the area where the university is located. The lack of inner and outer rings and standard frames sets this stamp apart from traditional seals. They do not exist. Therefore, the expanded name of the university is located in the surrounding space, which is not outlined in any way and is a frame for the portrait of the first President of the United States. The letters are smooth and straight, without serifs. At the bottom is the year of the institution’s appearance: “1890”.
Font and Colors
Washington State University’s identity has common features:
- It is painted according to the university’s color scheme.
- It consists of iconic symbols and images (George Washington, the Puma mascot).
- It is succinct because it does not contain many elements.
The logo uses Proxima Nova (for sans serif lettering) and the classic small serif typeface. In both cases, the letters are thin and tall. The university emblems’ color scheme consists of dark gray, crimson, white, and black.
