BUFFALO — In a historic moment during Alumni Weekend, members of the Canisius family were treated to the first glimpse of the institution’s new logo. Nearly 200 alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends erupted in applause when President Steve Stoute unveiled the new logo at Saturday night’s “Celebrating Canisius” event.
“The logo incorporates key elements of our identity at Canisius in an appealing new look,” said President Stoute. “This is a time of new beginnings for us as an institution and this logo is a visual representation of a reimagined Canisius.”
The new logo is part of a branding initiative being undertaken by the institution, contemporaneous with the transition to Canisius University and in concert with the development of a new strategic plan, which will be released in August. The Canisius marketing team surveyed key stakeholder groups over the past several months regarding the most important aspects of Canisius’ brand identity. Focus groups then viewed and reacted to the newly-created mark. The full rollout of the new logo and brand campaign will take place in August to coincide with the official transition to Canisius University.
“One of the most important and enjoyable aspects of this process was collaborating with the Canisius community,” said Danielle D. Ianni, PhD, vice president for enrollment management. “The excitement and consensus regarding the new logo was overwhelming.”
The new logo includes Canisius’ traditional colors of blue and gold, and utilizes a shield, which has a long history with illustrious academic institutions. Perched atop the shield is the legendary Griffin, the mythological king of birds and beasts and the official mascot of Canisius since 1933. The seven stripes link to the coat of arms of the family of St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order. The cross represents Canisius’ Catholic, Jesuit identity.
Canisius was founded in 1870 in Buffalo, NY, and is one of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. Consistently ranked among the top institutions in the Northeast, Canisius offers undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional programs distinguished by close student-faculty collaboration, mentoring and an emphasis on ethical, purpose-driven leadership.
