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University Seal
The University seal is composed of five emblems that embrace the goals and traditions of New York University. MDCCCXXXI is 1831, the year of incorporation for NYU, then known as the University of the City of New-York. “New York University” became the legal name of the institution in 1896, although this was its popular name long before then. The motto perstare et praestare - to persevere and to excel - underscores the depiction of classic runners, and, when combined, these symbols represent the continued pursuit of academic excellence. Finally, there is the upheld torch of the Lady of the Harbor, which signifies NYU in service to the “metropolis” - New York City.
University Logo
In 1965, the University administration commissioned renowned graphic artist Ivan Chermayeff to design a new logo. The University emblem, the torch, was modernized, and its simple yet elegant lines adorn virtually all NYU publications. From 1966 to the present, this torch has been synonymous with NYU.
University Torch
This prized silver heirloom, designed by Tiffany and Company of New York and “symbolic of academic purpose and authority,” was a gift from Helen Miller Gould in 1911. The torch and torchbearer always lead the academic processions in major University ceremonies. At Commencement, the torch is passed from a senior faculty member to the youngest graduating student.
University Color/Nickname: Violet/Violets
In the late 1880s, it was the custom to plant violets in the strip of grass around the buttresses of the old Washington Square buildings that then served as NYU’s campus. It is generally accepted that both the school color and the nickname evolved from the flowers.
University Mascot: The Bobcat
For more than 100 years, NYU athletes have worn the shade of the violets that grew under the trees in Washington Square Park. Some questioned the nickname “Violets,” however, because it lacked the aggressive, competitive connotation that goes along with sport. After other suggestions, including Vikings, Vanguards, and Victors, were rejected, the Bobcat was adopted as mascot in 1984 from the character that symbolized the new computer catalog at Bobst Library. The Bobcat was well accepted as a replacement for the walking, talking, acrobatic Violet that once appeared at athletic contests. The new mascot also symbolized NYU’s commitment to academic and athletic excellence. Now the Bobcat can be seen at sporting and social events on campus, though most athletic teams still carry the name of “the Violets.”
Alma Mater
NYU’s Alma Mater, “New York University Even-Song” (also known as “The Palisades”), was written in 1900 by Duncan Macpherson Genns. “Our dear old NYU” became even more appropriate in 1945 when Dorothy I. Pearce, a Washington Square College student, wrote a third verse. As the earlier verses paid homage to the University Heights campus (part of NYU from 1895 to 1973), Pearce’s verse praised “the archway [that] ever stands triumphant” and symbolically links NYU to the surrounding community. Alma Mater Lyrics. |
