Black honors College
Sacramento State
Logo Development
2024
Black history, life, and culture – the focus for the Sacramento State Black Honors College. With this College being the first in the nation, the challenge was to create a design that embodies the dual aspects of the Black Honors College: academic prestige and cultural pride. The project needed to honor both the intellectual rigor of the program and the rich history and achievements of Black students, prospective students, and the broader academic community. In addition, I had to work within Sacramento State’s branding guidelines, including specific colors, typefaces, and visual style.
The goal was to create a logo and applications that would not only represent the academic rigor of the honors program, but also highlight the unique contributions and experiences of Black students. The identity needed to blend tradition with modernity, ensuring that it resonates with a diverse range of students and fosters a sense of belonging.
The final mark reflects the Black Honors College’s mission of honoring cultural heritage while striving for academic success. The design emphasizes the interconnectedness of history, culture, and academic success, creating a visual identity that is both empowering and aspirational.
I was inspired by the symbol of the Sankofa bird, which represents the importance of learning from the past to move forward, and combined it with a diploma to symbolize academic achievement and the pursuit of excellence. The bold, clean lines and strong color contrast ensure the logo is modern, memorable, and impactful, while also being deeply rooted in meaning.
The colors incorporate Sacramento State’s university branding with Sac State Green and Sac State Gold. The burnt gold, pink, red, and blue are symbolic of African-American Greek sororities and fraternities, including:
Old Gold: Sacramento State President J. Luke Wood’s fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Pink: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Red: Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Blue: Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
This logo was used in several pieces of collateral during the Black Honors College Opening Ceremony held Thursday, August 8, 2024. It was displayed on the podium, speakers’ panel, and the graduates’ stoles. During the Ceremony, attendees received a custom folder and pin branded with the mark.
For the Opening Ceremony, I designed wayfinding signage for Sacramento State’s parking structure as well as the University Union, where the Ceremony was being held. For campus-oriented collateral, postcards and t-shirts were also developed.
Designing the Black Honors College logo was a deeply meaningful experience. It was an amazing opportunity to visually represent a historic initiative that will have a long lasting legacy in the Sacramento community. Sacramento State has the largest Black student population in the CSU system, so it was very rewarding to contribute to my community with this significant milestone and beacon of inspiration.
