This week marks the beginning of the school year for area K–12 schools, and it is a time of great excitement at Seton Catholic Schools. Earlier this year I joined the board of directors at Seton Catholic, a pre-K–12 school system in Richmond, Indiana, where three of my children attend elementary school.
While Catholic education has existed in our community since 1851, the high school is relatively new, graduating its first class in 2006. The schools are riding a wave of momentum right now – implementing a new one-to-one technology initiative at the junior/senior high, achieving the highest ISTEP test scores of any school in the area, and winning a sectional championship in baseball this past spring, Seton’s first in any sport.
With enrollment increasing and additional enrollment growth as a major goal, strong brand marketing is a must, and we are becoming much more intentional and strategic in this area. I have the privilege of chairing the board’s new marketing-for-image committee, and over the past several months we have been working on a new visual identity for Seton Catholic Schools.
I had a blast leading this process, and it brought back fond memories of our mascot change at Indiana University East, when – along with changing our mission to a bachelor’s and master’s institution and launching intercollegiate athletics – the campus transitioned from Pioneers to Red Wolves.
At Seton Catholic, our goal was to create a new visual identity that is consistent, unifying, and distinctive. The schools – which until one year ago had separate boards for the elementary school and high school – had been using a variety of logos and graphics. Our new visual identity, in contrast, will be consistent and unifying across the entire school system, enabling us to build and enhance positive awareness and recognition for Seton Catholic. Check out the new school logo:
Institutional logo
Another driving factor was to be distinctive. With a common mascot name (Cardinals) and symbol, we didn’t want to be confused visually with the Louisville Cardinals or any other college or pro Cardinal brand. We wanted something unique, something that people immediately recognize as Seton Catholic. Here’s the new Seton Catholic Cardinals athletics/spirit logo:
Old logo
New logo
We officially unveiled the new school logo and the new athletics/spirit logo at a standing-room-only launch party a few weeks ago. Although our work is just beginning, initial feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and I am hopeful that the new visual identity will help bring Seton Catholic into further prominence in our community.
Next on the list…a new and improved website!
The new logos are great. Although simple, they carry high energy, consistency, and distinction. Well done!
Many thanks, Susanna. I have great respect for your work and your opinion, so that means a lot.