Historically, institutional seals were used to authenticate official messages. Their design is purposefully intricate and descriptive. Messiah College has used the book and the lamp as a design element of its seal since 1969 to “suggest the ready accessibility of knowledge both religious and secular.” The College’s motto, “Christ Preeminent,” which was adopted in 1951, is also an integral element of the seal. The academic descriptor “Liberal and Applied Arts and Sciences” was updated in March 2002 from the former “Liberal Arts” to more accurately reflect the breadth of Messiah’s current academic curriculum.
The College Seal is reserved as the official ceremonial mark of the institution for usages such as official documents, diplomas, citations and special signature items. It should not be used routinely on print or electronic communications or merchandise. Use of the seal must be approved by the Director of Publications and artwork may only be obtained by contacting the Office of Publications at ext. 5381. To ensure consistency, the book and lamp should not be used as a separate image, the artwork and text inside the seal should not be altered in any way, and all previous versions of the College seal should be retired from use. The illustrations below demonstrate many, but not all, incorrect usages of the seal:
Incorrect Seal Usage
