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The Insignia Explained
SVSU Insignia
SVSU Insignia The now familiar University Insignia was decided upon by a committee of three Board of Control members. Appointed by William Groening and chaired by Charles Curtiss, this committee solicited suggestions and reviewed about 20 samples. Because of President Marble's interest in Egyptology, the committee encouraged designs with Egyptian iconography. It was decided that a Latin motto was not essential. The committee also intended that whatever its final choice of design, symbolism should be sufficiently generic to avoid any particular religious, ethnic or national origin. As Curtiss later reflected, "while the symbols are Egyptian in origin, it would not be correct to assume our intent was to be historically accurate in the translation of meaning."
Original SVC Insignia
The Insignia of SAGINAW VALLEY COLLEGE:

The flame (lower left) might suggest mind, knowledge, understanding, and/or truth.

The staff (lower right) might suggest body, work,
and/or ability.

The human figure (top center) might suggest soul, self, God, and/or wisdom.


Additionally, with the human figure at the apex of the triangle and supported by the lower two icons, this design could suggest combinations of meaning: soul over mind and body; wisdom over truth and strength; self over knowledge and use of tools; and, truth over light and assessment or evaluation (work). Really, the committee seems to have intended to create a seal that would invite thought and interpretation rather than one that would dictate a set of conventional correspondences.

In the beginning the college had a single color represented by the cardinal - chosen, not because of its ornithological or its ecclesiastical significance but simply because it is a beautiful color. The triangle was appealing for obvious reasons: it could suggest how the College grew out of the interest and work of three communities, especially that of the Tri-County College Committee and how SVC was expected to serve these communities as its primary constituency. Moreover, a triangle was aesthetically appealing. The circle and date were added later, during President Ryder's tenure.

Source: SVSU - The Early and Formative Years, by Basil Clark

 

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Last modified April 24, 2001