The Evolution of the Northern Arizona University Logo: A Visual History
Northern Arizona University (NAU), a public research university located in Flagstaff, Arizona, has a rich history dating back to its founding in 1899. Originally established as the Northern Arizona Normal School, the institution has evolved significantly over the years, reflected not only in its academic offerings but also in its visual identity. This article explores the history of the Northern Arizona University logo, tracing its evolution from its early iterations to the modern emblem that represents the university today.
NAU: A Historical Overview
Founded in 1899, Northern Arizona University (NAU) is a public research university located in Flagstaff, Arizona. It holds the distinction of being the third and final university established in the Arizona Territory. The university began its journey as the Northern Arizona Normal School on September 11, 1899, with a modest cohort of 23 students and two faculty members. Almon Nicholas Taylor served as the school's president and one of the faculty members. The institution's initial resources were limited to "two copies of Webster's International Dictionary bound in sheepskin."
The institution was one of approximately 180 "normal schools" founded by state governments in the 19th century to train teachers for the rapidly growing public common schools. The first graduating class, in 1901, consisted of four women who received credentials to teach in the Arizona Territory. In 1925, the Arizona State Legislature allowed the school, which was then called the Northern Arizona State Teachers College (ASTC), to grant bachelor of education degrees. In 1929, the school became Arizona State Teachers College at Flagstaff.
The Great Depression, which struck the nation in 1929, brought new meaning to community outreach at ASTC. The school endured through the depression, providing education during economically trying times and often creating jobs to help students afford their education. Students worked on the school-owned dairy farm, in the campus kitchen and dining hall, and as newspaper deliverers. ASTC was known for its diverse student body and ethnic tolerance. In fact, the first Hopi to receive a college degree was Ida Mae Fredericks in 1939.
The end of World War II also expanded programs beyond teaching degrees, especially in the fields of art and science. To reflect this growth, the school changed its name to Arizona State College at Flagstaff in 1945 and, in 1958, became Arizona State College.
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Today, NAU is a comprehensive university divided into seven academic colleges offering approximately 130 undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as various academic certificates. Students have the flexibility to attend classes and conduct research in Flagstaff, online, and at over 20 statewide locations, including the Phoenix Biomedical Core research campus. NAU is governed by the Arizona Board of Regents and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It holds an "R1: Doctoral Universities - Very high research activity" classification.
NAU's commitment to sustainability is evident through campus-wide programs and resources. The university boasts more than a dozen LEED-certified buildings, with all new construction adhering to strict LEED standards. Dining services contribute to a composting initiative, collecting over 300,000 pounds of material each year, preventing 250 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. Renewable wind and solar technologies are utilized across much of the campus, and the university is exploring biomass electricity or heat production using the surrounding ponderosa pine forests.
In addition to the more than 21,000 students on the Flagstaff campus, NAU serves another 8,000 students online and statewide. The university offers more than 130 accredited degree programs at more than 20 statewide locations, ensuring access and affordability for Arizona residents. NAU also has partnerships with community colleges and NAU-Yavapai, a collaboration with Yavapai College in Prescott Valley, Arizona.
The university oversees the Clara M. Lovett Art Museum, the Martin-Springer Institute (promoting lessons of the Holocaust), the Northern Arizona Writing Project, Ardrey Memorial Auditorium, and Kitt Recital Hall. The College of Arts and Letters Film Series and the NAU International Film Series provide quality classic films to the NAU and Flagstaff community.
NAU's academic colleges include the College of Education, the Steve Sanghi College of Engineering, the College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences, the College of Health and Human Services, and the W. A. Franke College of Business. The Graduate College offers more than 80 master's degrees, about 20 doctoral degrees, and 40 graduate certificates, both in-person and online.
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NAU is ranked No. 178 in the most recent National Science Foundation (NSF) national research rankings. The university's research division includes the Environmental Genetics and Genomics Resource Center, the Imaging and Histology Core Facility, and the Research Greenhouse Complex. The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute conducts research to track and fight diseases including COVID-19.
NAU is also home to the NAU Lumberjacks, who compete in the NCAA Division I as part of the Big Sky Conference. The Lumberjacks have won six national championships in cross country running.
Early Logos: Symbolism and Identity
The early logos of Northern Arizona University reflected its origins as a normal school focused on teacher training. These logos often incorporated elements that symbolized education, knowledge, and the natural beauty of the Arizona landscape. While specific details about the earliest logos are scarce, it's likely that they featured imagery such as books, torches, or representations of the surrounding mountains and forests.
Over time, as the institution evolved from a normal school to a teachers' college and eventually a comprehensive university, its logos underwent corresponding changes. These changes reflected the broadening scope of academic programs and the university's growing emphasis on research and scholarship.
The Pre-2018 Logo: A Coniferous Tree and Mountain
Before 2018, the NAU logo comprised distinctly separate graphics and text, forming a cohesive composition. The emblem featured the university's full name, occupying three levels and aligned to the left. The longest line was at the top, with the word "Northern." The next two were shortened due to a miniature shield on the right.
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A coniferous tree (presumably a pine) was depicted with widely spaced and uplifted branches. It symbolized the lumberjacks the region is known for, after which the university's sports teams are named. Below was a mountain depicted as a triangle. The letters in the first and second rows were bold, and in the third, they were thin, unified by having straight edges and a lack of serifs. All glyphs were uppercase. This logo was introduced in 2005 and created in collaboration with Lipman Hearne.
The 2018-Present Logo: Mountain Integration
The current NAU logo, introduced in 2018, features a textual design with graphic elements camouflaged as the crossbar in the center of "A." This is a two-peaked mountain, colored yellow to stand out distinctly against the dark blue background. The emblem is visually connected to the university's sports department symbol in this form.
After the logo's modernization, it gained a sense of solidity and seriousness, which did not affect the airiness of the glyphs, thanks to the wide spacing between the characters and the lines. Interestingly, in this version, there are not three but four lines. The top row is reserved for the abbreviation, which is made massive for this purpose. All the letters there have sharp serifs pointing to the left side, representing the needles of coniferous trees.
The remaining lines retained the previous font: chopped, angular, and evenly cut tops. The designers reduced the boldness of the word "Northern" to a medium. The boldest glyphs are in the third line, highlighting the name of the state of Arizona. The inscription in the fourth line is made with thin characters.
The Academic Seal: Tradition and Heritage
The NAU academic seal looks like a classic rondel with an accentuated center. It features a miner in a hat with a pickaxe and shovel against the backdrop of high peaks, behind which a radiant sun appears - a symbol of light and knowledge. The image is placed in a heraldic shield. In its upper part is the motto "Ditat Deus," written in Latin. It is taken in a separate rectangle and centered. Next are circles of different sizes: the farther from the center, the larger. The first is the inscription in English, "Great Seal of The State of Arizona," and the year 1912, separated from the text by two stars. In the widest ring is the full name of the university, typed in a thin sans-serif font.
Font and Colors
The inscriptions are made in an uppercase font. The letters are straight, smooth, and chopped, giving them a perfect geometric shape. Serifs are present only in the abbreviation in the university logo and the slogan in the academic seal.
The official NAU color palette includes a range of blues, golds, and greens, reflecting the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape. These colors are used consistently across the university's branding materials, helping to create a unified and recognizable visual identity.
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