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By Paul Guzzo, University Communications & Marketing

Guided by a commitment to help strengthen the ����TV’s identity as it grew from a little-known institution into a globally recognized university, Anne Scott spent decades helping shape and standardize its visual brand.

Now, as she prepares to retire after 41 years, Scott is reflecting on that evolution – one she has long traced through the university’s academic logos and marks designed to represent its colleges, programs and campuses.

She has witnessed USF’s transformation from being known as one of the nation’s best-kept secrets to a leading research university. She has seen campuses expand and design processes evolve from hand-drawn to digital tools. Along the way, she has viewed USF’s growth through the lens of branding – helping define and elevate the university’s visibility.

“USF didn’t want to be a secret. We wanted to be the next great university,” said Scott, senior graphic designer in University Communications and Marketing. “When I started, the concept of marketing at a university was brand new. Embracing it has helped USF garner the recognition it deserves. It’s part of our history that should be celebrated, especially during our 70th anniversary.”

In the beginning

USF’s first official academic design was its seal.

Created in 1959 under founding President John Allen, the seal reflects his vision of a university encompassing all human knowledge: The sun represents life to all living things. The lamp symbolizes learning. The globe signifies the universal expansiveness of educational opportunity and challenge. 

Allen’s wife, Grace, said green and gold were selected as the school colors because they were "workable" and no other university in Florida had adopted them as official colors

“It’s the only USF graphic that has been used continuously from its creation to this day,” Scott said. 

Today, the seal is reserved for ceremonial uses that include presidential communications and events.

“From a design perspective, a seal is very delicate,” Scott said. “It has a lot of little parts that don’t always show up well in printed pieces. We needed to come up with something that did.”

The first branding efforts

Scott joined USF in 1985 as an illustrator in the then-Department of Educational Resources, which provided media, design and technical support to faculty and staff.  Two years later, USF’s first official academic branding campaign was launched.

The university’s first official wordmark was known as the “Swash USF” for its Bookman Swash Italic font, but colleges and departments were not required to use it.

“It was very much the Wild West,” Scott said. “Every college, every unit, every division seemed to have logos they designed themselves.”

That lack of consistency limited recognition.

“As a designer, I always said these marks authenticate that something is truly from USF,” Scott said.

Making it official

In 1997, the logo was again updated to prominently spell out “University of South Florida” to address confusion with similar acronyms. 

“We’ve always had the challenge that the USF acronym is used by other universities,” Scott said.

USF then made it the official academic logo with the expectation that all colleges, departments and divisions use only that one for promotion.

In 2003, USF updated its academic branding, introducing what’s known as the “Block USF” logo, which Scott says “conveys gravitas and tradition.”

That logo remained until 2018 when a new academic mark generated strong reactions from alumni and students – many referring to it as the “Merrill Lynch bull” because it resembled the financial firm’s symbol.

“The outcry was clear,” Scott said. “They were loyal to the previous marks, especially the athletic's U graphic. So, we listened and changed direction toward the logo we use today, combining the now-iconic U with a clean, bold font.”

Like most brands, it’s likely that logo will continue to evolve over time.

“You have to change with the times,” Scott said.

When that happens, it will mark the first time an official USF academic logo is created without her involvement.

“It will be strange,” Scott said. “I’ve been part of it for so long, but it’s something others will carry forward.”