by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer
Through a new branding commitment and logo, the University of North Florida is turning their focus to their students.
North Florida President John Delaney presented the school’s new branding commitment and logo to faculty, staff, students and the public on Thursday.
“Students are our first priority to the faculty and staff,” said Delaney. “We wanted to broadcast the kind of place this place is.”
The university is using, “No one like you. No place like this” as its new slogan.
“It is not a catch phrase; it speaks to the students and the institution,” he said. “It is who we are.”
Their old logo, that did not show the school’s mascot, also failed to show those outside of the university what the school was about, he said.
“We want to let the community, northeast Florida and the nation, know what kind of special place this is,” said Delaney.
Since UNF’s osprey mascot wasn’t identified anywhere in their logo, the school’s administration decided to stylize the osprey so that people would be able to put an image with UNF.
“This is a philosophy and promise to our students,” said Delaney. “The University of Florida offers the opportunities of a big university, but we have the intimacy and environment of a small university.”
Jill Friedman of Jupiter, Fla. is going to be a junior at UNF and was on campus early because she is a resident assistant. She said she was happy with UNF’s new logo.
“I think the ‘N’ was difficult but this one (the new logo) is cool, because it represents who we are and our osprey pride,” she said.
Banners with the new logo were hung around Alumni Square for everyone to view. The athletics logo also changed and it shows a more aggressive osprey. UNF’s athletics are currently in the process of changing to Division I.