Maryland College switches to an easier-to-read logo

CHESTERTOWN, Md. – A university on Maryland’s Eastern Shore says its cursive logo has historically been harder for students to read and therefore had to be changed.

Since 2013, the official logo of Washington College in Chestertown has included a stamp of George Washington’s original 18th century style signature.

“Because cursive writing is no longer universally taught in K-12 education, the script — especially this highly stylized version — was difficult to read and not immediately recognizable to many prospective students,” Washington College said in a news release. “This was counterproductive when it came to brand awareness and identity.”

Despite the university’s name appearing in print under Washington’s signature, the school said the older logo became “illegible” and “ineffective” when placed in advertisements or other media materials.

As a result, Washington College introduced a new “more recognizable and distinct” logo during the spring semester.

This is what the new logo looks like.

Washington College

“The new logo is a powerful image that speaks to the history and quality of the institution, increases visibility and provides flexibility for use in different formats without losing recognition,” Washington College said.

Here’s the old one.

Washington College

“The Washington script will remain part of the overall identity system, but will now be used as a complementary image that can give materials a more dynamic appearance,” the council said.