Cedarville University is a private Baptist institution in Cedarville, Ohio, founded in 1887. Its current institutional logo, adopted in 2009, consists of three fixed components: the “pillar” mark, the “Cedarville University” wordmark, and a registered trademark symbol. The logo exists in horizontal and vertical states, and the university’s brand guidelines require that the components never be altered or rearranged.[1]
Design and History
The current Cedarville University logo was designed in 2009 by Jeremy Slagle of Element Design, a Columbus-based firm. Slagle was the son of former Cedarville head men’s basketball coach Ray Slagle. The project was overseen by Janice Supplee, vice president for Enrollment Management and Marketing, with Chad Jackson, creative director for Creative Services. Element Design was contracted to create both the new University logo and a new athletic logo for the Yellow Jackets, which was unveiled in late April 2009.[2]
In 2017, Cedarville’s marketing and communications team refreshed the logo. The changes were subtle: the basic design, a classic Greek pillar with a sunburst on top, remained unchanged. However, the three vertical channels running the length of the column gained a crossbeam, and the sunburst, which previously stood alone on top of the pillar, was modified. The refresh accompanied a redesign of the university’s website.[3]
The university also maintains an official seal featuring a crown, described as one of Cedarville’s oldest and most enduring symbols. The seal carries the motto “For the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ,” which remains the university’s tagline. The seal is restricted to formal applications such as commencement programs, diplomas, transcripts, and presidential events.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The university describes the logo mark as a visual illustration of its tagline, “For the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ.”[1] The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registration for the mark describes its elements as a Corinthian column representing education, three crosses signifying Calvary, an open book representing the word of God, and seven sunburst rays.[5]
The university’s brand guide elaborates on each element. The cross represents the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ, described as “of first importance” at Cedarville. The pillar symbolizes the university’s founding in 1887 and its commitment to academic excellence grounded in biblical truth. The open book represents God’s Word, which the university says illuminates every decision, course, and program.[1]
Typography and Design
The official Cedarville logo uses two primary colors: Pantone 2955 C (blue) and Pantone 130 C (gold). The blue is specified as CMYK 100/57/9/59, RGB 0/57/99, and HEX #003a63. The gold is specified as CMYK 0/30/100/0, RGB 253/185/19, and HEX #fdb813.[1]
The university’s brand guidelines explicitly prohibit re-creating or changing the font of the logo, and the wordmark cannot be typeset or altered.[1][6] The athletics brand uses a darker blue (PMS 2965 C) than the university logo to provide visual contrast and match standard navy athletic apparel.[7]
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