The Colgate identity is composed of core elements that come together to create a bold, sophisticated, and distinctive look and feel that enhances Colgate’s position as a university that honors its past while it embraces the future. The following pages guide you through the core elements, and will assist you in designing and producing compelling communications with a high degree of creative flexibility.

Our visual identity is composed of core elements that come together to create a bold, sophisticated, and distinctive look and feel that enhances Colgate’s position as a university that honors its past while it embraces the future.

Identity Architecture

Presidential and Trustee

Used only by the Office of the President and the Board of Trustees to indicate formal actions and declarations, the Presidential Identity visually upholds Colgate's most ceremonious operations, such as degrees, recognition and achievement awards, and presidential and trustee documentation and letters.

Presidential and Trustee Identity Standards

University

For use across Colgate's academic and administrative divisions, departments, and offices, the University Identity functions as the foundational design of visual components that all branches of the Colgate Identity Architecture originate. Thus, it serves to uplift and solidifies the core missions of the institution in attracting outstanding students and faculty, strengthening the academic enterprise, enriching the student experience, and improving the campus environs.

University Identity Standards

Residential Commons

The Residential Commons Identity, which features iconographic crests highlighting the leading characteristics of Residential Commons namesakes and links those noble traits, in perpetuity, to the University's living-learning communities, is used only by the Office of the Dean of the College and the Colgate Residential Commons system.

Residential Commons Standards

Athletics

The Athletics Identity places Colgate Athletics as champions in every field and every arena. It houses marks that express it as a core element of the Colgate experience as well as visuals that represent the unique spirit and energy of Colgate Athletics. The Athletics Identity is for use only by the Athletics Department.

Athletics Identity Standards

Supporting Identity

The Supporting Identity serves to highlight and elevate affiliated, endorsed, or sponsored units across the University through a visual connection to the University Identity. Supporting Identity usage extends to clubs, organizations, initiatives, and events.

Supporting Identities Standards

Verbal Identity

Embodying our shared values and personality as a collective institution, the Colgate verbal identity allows the University, its divisions and departments, to speak in a bold and consistent way about itself while capturing the University’s distinctive story in a crisp and unifying way.

Verbal Identity Standards

Design Elements

The Colgate identity uses a reoccurring set of core elements to maintain a consistent and identifiable appearance. These elements include a set of typefaces, a defined use of color, and an image gallery with parameters on how to style photographs.

Design Elements Standards

Contact Communications

For guidance in utilizing the University’s visual identity; access to logo, wordmark, and lockup files; and more, contact the creative team in Colgate’s Office of University Communications:

creative@colgate.edu

University Stationery

For official University stationery, order from University Printing. For questions regarding Stationery and printing, email printing@colgate.edu.