Evolution of the University of Maryland Logo: A Visual History

The University of Maryland (UMD), a public land-grant research university located in College Park, Maryland, has a rich history dating back to its establishment in 1856. Over the years, the university's logo has undergone several transformations, reflecting its evolution and growth. This article explores the history of the University of Maryland logo, from its early iterations to the modern designs that represent the institution today.

Early Years and Formation of the University

The origins of the University of Maryland can be traced back to 1856 with the establishment of the Maryland Agricultural College. In 1865, it became the country's third college of agriculture, achieving land-grant status. Another institution, a predecessor of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, achieved land-grant status in 1890.

In 1920, the Maryland General Assembly merged the professional schools in Baltimore with the Maryland State College of Agriculture at College Park, creating the University of Maryland, College Park, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore. In 1988, the University System of Maryland was created from the merger of the University of Maryland (UM) and the Board of Trustees of State Universities and Colleges (BTSUC).

University of Maryland Logo: A Symbol of Unity and History

The University of Maryland logo represents the institution and its history. It symbolizes the unity of all UMD colleges, schools, laboratories, and educational centers. The logo is associated with the academic and athletic achievements of the students.

Like most institutions of higher learning in the system, the University of Maryland logo uses the colors of the state flag: gold, black, white, and red.

Key Elements of the University of Maryland Logo

The UMD logo uses the same four-piece balloon as the university seal. As you know, its official flag features elements from the coat of arms of George Calvert, the statesman who started Maryland. The red-and-white crosses, decorated around the edges with three semicircles (the so-called trefoil crosses), were taken from the icons of his maternal relatives, the Crosslands. And his father’s family, surnamed Calvert, inherited the yellow and black quadrilateral ornament.

If you dig deeper into the archives, you can tell that the seal and the University of Maryland logo come from English heraldry. After all, the basis of their common element is the family coat of arms of Lord George Calvert of Great Britain. The globe, which looks like a globe, symbolizes the global scope of research and science, on which UMD’s work is built. It also represents the global recognition the university has achieved in its more than a century and a half history.

The designers adapted the state flag components to a modern style, making them streamlined. At the same time, they combined modernized drawing with classical typography to show the dynamism of the university and its ability to combine progressive solutions and strict standards, without which it is impossible to avoid in the field of education.

The Seal

This element of UMD’s identity looks quite different from the Maryland state seal, although some elements are the same. Both have patterns taken from the state flag: a yellow and black ornament of geometric shapes and two red and white Crossland Banners. In the case of the University of Maryland seal, they are slightly convex because they are shaped like a ball. The figure is divided into four segments. In the upper left corner and lower right are distorted quadrangles and triangles. They are presented in alternating colors: gold and black. The so-called Crossland Banner occupies the rest of the space.

The ball is placed in the center of a white circle with an outline of two black lines of different thicknesses. And that, in turn, is located inside a ring with the same double outline. As usual, basic information is written along the outer frame on any seal. At the top is the word “UNIVERSITY OF,” arched; at the bottom is “MARYLAND,” curved in the opposite direction. They are separated by the numbers “18” and “56”, indicating the year the institution was established.

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

Font and Colors

The University of Maryland wordmark consists of two lines of different sizes. They differ only in proportions and letter spacing. Other parameters are the same. The font used belongs to the Bembo Std family. It resembles the Novel Pro Semi Bold by Atlas Font Foundry but has more pointed lines. It is a contrasting antiqua with long serifs. Its style matches the inscriptions on ancient Roman bas-reliefs.

The color scheme is appropriate given that the university’s visual symbols contain elements from the Maryland state flag.

Evolution of the Maryland Terrapins Logo

The Maryland Terrapins, the athletic teams of the University of Maryland, College Park, have also seen their logo evolve over the years. The evolution of the Maryland Terrapins logo is the way from a cluttered cartoonish logo to a more minimalistic and sleek one. The Terrapins nickname (often shortened to "Terps") was coined by former university president, football coach, and athletic director H. C.

The Terrapins, often affectionately called the “Terps,” embarked on a journey that would etch their name in collegiate sports history.

1967 - 1970

The very first Maryland Terrapins badge was created in 1967 and stayed with the club for three years. It was a black-and-white hand-drawn image of a turtle, which was depicted running to the right, and happily smiling. The additional curved lines on the right from the turtle added a sense of motion and speed. The emblem had no accompanying lettering on it.

Read also: Legacy of Fordham University

1970 - 1983

Around 50 years ago, the emblem featured a tortoise in red, black, and white. The creature was standing on its rear paws, and his mouth was open. To the right, the letter “M” in white could be seen.

1983 - 1988

The logo of the club, introduced in 1983, was someone new and stylish. It was a red and white badge, composed of a stylized enlarged “M”, formed by several red horizontal lines in different lengths and thicknesses, getting bolder from left to right, and an uppercase “Maryland” inscription; set under the emblem, and executed in red, with the thickness of the bars getting bigger from left to right.

1988 - 1996

The Maryland Terrapins logo, created in 1988, used the emblem from the 1970s, with the smiling turtle standing on the left from the red uppercase “M”, but made a few changes to the composition, adding a flag to the turtle’s hands, and a two-leveled black “Maryland Terrapins” inscription in a heavy geometric serif font under the emblem. The flag with a thin long handle was divided into four segments, where two of them were yellow and black, with a checkered pattern, and the other two were set in white and red and featured heraldic symbols drawn on them.

1996 - 2005

This logo stayed with the team from 1970 to 1996, when a more professional version appeared. Here, the tortoise was light brown and more stylish. The emotional background of the design was more obvious and sporty.

2005 - 2006

While the tortoise remained the same on the 2005 logo, it grew larger because the name of the team disappeared.

2006 - 2012

The redesign of the Maryland Terrapins logo, held in 2006, was more of a refinement, as the concept and the contours of the elements remained untouched, and only the colors were modified. The new badge was set in slightly darker shades, with the dangerous turtle getting a more masculine look, and the whole mood of the logo turning more serious and brutal.

2012 - Today

Eventually, in 2012, only the “M” with an underline remained on the Maryland Terrapins logo.

The "Script Terps" Logo

There have been all manner of designs on Maryland football helmets through the years. But the one that longtime Terps fans keep coming back to is the iconic “Script Terps.” In fact, the university announced that it will be bringing back the Script Terps on helmets and the accompanying retro-look uniform on a regular basis for the 2023 season.

Following a 4-6-1 season in 1981, Jerry Claiborne left Maryland to take the head coaching position at his alma mater, the University of Kentucky. Replacing Claiborne for the 1982 season was Bobby Ross. He spent time as a head coach at The Citadel, but came to College Park directly after four seasons as an assistant for the Kansas City Chiefs. Ross also brought in a pro-style offense that season, adding to the new feeling. With Boomer Esiason leading a talented and full quarterback room, the 1982 Terps went 8-4, averaged more than 31 points per game and reached the Aloha Bowl.

Three players’ names come up most often when asking about the design of what Ross called “headgear,” in an old-school reference. Tight end Ron Fazio and linebackers Doug Cox and Pat D’Atri are the players who are credited most often with the then-new Script Terps - though no one specifically remembers which player had the winning design. The new design was met with approval from the team's rising star at quarterback, a player by the name of Norman "Boomer" Esiason.

The return to the iconic look was announced on April 17, 2023. Esiason and his fellow Terp alums are excited about the return of the Script Terps.

Tale of the Tail

When the new helmets appeared in public for the first time in the 1982 football media guide, they included a swooping underline coming from the ‘S’ in Terps - a “tail” of sorts. But that fall, when Maryland took the field, the tail had been removed from underneath the Terps script. No one interviewed for this story has a definitive idea where the tail went or why it was eliminated. Speculation centers around the potential difficulty of preparing and mounting the design either into the surface of the helmet or onto a decal.

What’s Old is New Again

Following Ross, there were 14 years that yielded two winning seasons and one bowl appearance. So when Ralph Friedgen got the job as Maryland’s new head coach in 2001, the former offensive coordinator for Ross brought back the design… sort of. The script was the same, but it included red letters on a white background instead of white letters on a red helmet.

Friedgen appreciates the return to the design of the past.

Importance of the University of Maryland Logo

The University of Maryland logo is the primary element of the institution's visual identity. The logo provides immediate brand recognition, and its proper use is imperative as we work together to maintain a reputation of prestige, excellence, and authority as the flagship institution for higher education in the state of Maryland. All communications sent on behalf of the university should prominently display the university logo.

The symbol should not be reproduced smaller than 3/8" or 32 pixels in height. No alterations are permitted. This adaptation of the symbol and university name may be used when space is limited. The word mark can be used without the symbol when designing with one or two colors.

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