Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, adopted the RedHawks nickname for its NCAA Division I athletic teams in 1997, replacing the Redskins name that had been in use for nearly seventy years. The change followed a 1996 request from the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, which had a longstanding relationship with the university, that the school retire the old nickname and mascot.[1] The university’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously to make the change on April 18, 1997, with the decision taking effect on June 30 of that year.[2]
Design and History
The first RedHawks logos were unveiled on Parents’ Weekend in October 1997.[2] The initial primary mark featured an arched and beveled “MIAMI” above “UNIVERSITY,” a full-bodied redhawk with a silver beak clutching a ribbon with stylized “REDHAWKS” type, and a brick arch in the background, rendered in red, silver, black, and white.[3] A secondary design from the same period showed an angry redhawk head with a silver beak above “MIAMI UNIVERSITY” and stylized “REDHAWKS” type; this version was used more frequently than the primary and eventually became the primary mark itself in 2010.[4]
The current primary logo is the beveled “M” in red with black and white outlines, a mark that originally debuted as a wordmark in 1997.[5] The university’s official brand system describes the beveled-M as the most recognized symbol on campus and beyond.[6] Miami’s current university logo was introduced in 2021 and includes refinements from the previous version, with “Miami University” stacked in the lockup.[7]
In 2011, the university ended the remaining use of the old Indian head logo on merchandise, which had been permitted as a “heritage mark” related to the school’s history after the RedHawks name was adopted.[8]
Meaning and Symbolism
In 2017, Miami University revealed a separate “Myaamia Heritage Logo” honoring the Miami Tribe, created by Myaamia artist Julie Olds and designer Alyse Capaccio from the university’s communications and marketing department. The design was inspired by the tribe’s traditional ribbonwork art, with its bold colors, geometric patterns, and elongated diamonds. According to the university, the pattern uses two large geometric diamonds, the left representing the Miami Tribe and the right representing Miami University, extending on either side of a central diamond representing the space where the two connect with a shared vision. The red dot at the center represents fire, or “koteewi,” a symbol of the warmth of the partnership and the shared responsibility to “tend the fire” for future growth.[9]
Typography and Design
The official colors of Miami University are RedHawk Red and White, with RedHawk Red specified as PANTONE 186.[10] The university’s brand identity uses FreightText Pro, FreightDisplay Pro, Gotham Narrow, Gotham, and Brushability as its official typefaces, with FreightDisplay Pro reserved for use only in the logo and stationery.[6] The wordmark “RedHawks” is one word and must have the “H” capitalized.[10]
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