Glenville State University, located in Glenville, West Virginia, fields its NCAA Division II athletic teams as the Pioneers and Lady Pioneers in the Mountain East Conference. The university’s official colors are blue and white, with the blue designated as PMS 293.[1][2]
Design and History
The Pioneer logo was created by Glenville State Professor Emeritus James W. “Jim” Rogers, a prolific artist who taught in the college’s Art Department from 1966 to 1970 and again from 1976 until his retirement in 1999.[3] Rogers sketched three versions of the Pioneer over the years. In the early 1980s, he drew the pioneer head for his friend and former Athletic Director Joseph Now. In the mid-1990s, he produced a bust version of the Pioneer, which remains in use in athletic, alumni, and marketing publications.[4]
In the fall of 2007, Rogers drew a full-figure version of the Pioneer for use in campus publications, recruiting brochures, campus signs, and mementos.[4] The original image was also reproduced as a bronze replica on the Curtis Elam Athletic Hall of Fame Wall in the Physical Education Building and carved into the President’s Mace used at formal college ceremonies.[3]
Rogers himself had served as the Pioneer Mascot as a senior at Glenville State, wearing buckskins and carrying a musket at football games and campus activities.[3] The university’s mascot tradition dates to 1933, when Charles Barnett became the first official Glenville Pioneer.[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Pioneer figure reflects the university’s mascot and nickname, which have been part of Glenville State’s identity since at least 1933.[5] The university’s graphic standards designate PMS 293 as the official blue, with white as the secondary color.[4] The style guide notes that logos may also appear in black only, with any other color usage requiring approval from the Marketing and Public Relations Office.[6]
Typography and Design
The university’s graphic standards specify that only approved versions of the Glenville State University logos should be used, with no color substitutions permitted. Logos should be displayed in one of the approved color treatments, including PMS 293 blue or black.[6] The 2024 style guide also lists discontinued colors and logos, noting that “old blue” is no longer in use and that any logo used must meet updated university standards.[4]
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