University Life Brand Guidelines and Design Operations

Brand Identity

The Penn brand is designed to create a cohesive visual experience for all Schools, Divisions, Departments, and Centers.

Brand is the story you’re telling to engage with your audience, from tangible items like the name, logo, and website to intangible components that help build trust and connections. Brand is not a static process; it constantly grows and adapts.

University Life Brand Alignment Initiative

We have realigned our visual identity to clearly demonstrate our relationship to the University. This process includes retiring our longer divisional name, The Division of the Vice Provost for University Life and the related acronym, VPUL. Going forward, we will be known as University Life at Penn or simply University Life. Our name will quickly and directly convey the broad and deep scope of our mission. We also take this time to bring our divisional and department logos into partnership with the updated Penn Style Guide.

Our brand alignment presentation takes a deep dive into how design decisions affect all aspects of our brand story. We have taken this presentation on the road and shared with our campus partners in an effort to be transparent in our process and strategy. If you would like us to present this to your team, please contact Marjan Osman Gartland, Director of Design Services.

In-House Design Services

We collaborate with our departments to develop creative strategy and design deliverables for a wide range of projects. Our staff members and student leaders are our subject matter experts and all of our projects center the user and their experiences. In partnership with them we can create products, experiences, and resources to meet the needs of our community. Our creative team is agile, motivated, and connected to the dynamic University Life division.

Snapshot of Services

Access Points

The University Life divisional logo  (in multiple file formats) can be accessed through Penn + Box. 

Go to the Penn + Box folder to access the logo.

To request access please email Marjan Osman Gartland.

The University Life department logos  (in multiple file formats) can be accessed through Penn + Box. 

Go to the Penn + Box folder to access logos.

To request access please email Marjan Osman Gartland.

University Life brand assets can be accessed through Penn + Box folders. Most are open to all members of our Penn community, unless otherwise stated.

Go to the Penn + Box folder to access templates.

To request access please email Marjan Osman Gartland.

To represent the University Life brand, use authentic, dynamic photographs. Use the UL Flickr page to pull from a pool of approved photographs. To access these photos, go to https://flickr.com/photos/pennuniversitylife/

The University Life Content Creator training and design resources can be accessed through Penn + Box. 

Go to the Penn + Box folder to access resources.

To request access please email Marjan Osman Gartland.

University Life has an enterprise Adobe Creative Cloud account. To get access, please contact Technology Services.

University Life has an enterprise Canva account which is shared with all content creators. 

To login go to: https://www.canva.com/

To request access please email Marjan Osman Gartland.

Penn offers faculty, students, and staff access to LinkedIn Learning – an online training library that provides access to tutorials covering a wide selection of topics.

To login go to: http://linkedinlearning.upenn.edu/

Promotional Merchandise Guidelines

FOR STAFF

The promotional merchandise brand guidelines is to help University Life departments create effective swag which develops a visual cohesive relationship between the University and our departments.

Student Brand Guidelines

FOR STUDENTS

The student style guide is to help new and existing student organizations create authentic, message-driven brand identities by incorporating the spirit of the Penn brand without violating University trademarks.

Supplier Choice and Merchandise

Licensed suppliers are the only companies allowed to produce Penn merchandise (apparel or other swag).

  • Promotional merchandise includes giveaways such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, blankets, stickers, buttons, water bottles, pens. 
    • Step & Repeats are not technically promotional merchandise however a licensed supplier should be used to produce these types of items as well.

If the total purchasing order does not exceed 10k, use any supplier (contracted or approved) in the Penn system. If the total purchasing order does exceed 10k, use a contracted supplier, otherwise, the project must go out to bid.

University Life Video Meeting Backgrounds