Pikes Peak STATE College Branding FAQs

Pikes Peak State College Rebrand

With a new name and a new logo, questions naturally arise. We've tried to address them here, but if you don't find answers you're seeking, please email us at Marketing@pikespeak.edu.

General FAQs

Design & Branding FAQs

General FAQs

On April 22, 2022, Governor Polis signed legislation authorizing changing our name from “Pikes Peak Community College” to “Pikes Peak State College.”

Over the summer and fall, we will begin the transition to the new name, Pikes Peak State College. Over the summer, you’ll gradually see changes around campus, but we will officially use the “Pikes Peak State College” name as of Aug. 29, 2022, the beginning of the fall semester. To make that work, everyone will be getting new email signatures, etc. during PDW week, Aug. 22.

Please bear in mind that the transition will happen in stages, and the name change process will continue through the fall and even into the spring semester. We will start with our external partners and external-facing documentation and processes, and then shift to internal documentation and processes.

The logo and the Brand Guide is now available for download for future merchandise and other materials. Staff and faculty can use it to update internal documents, syllabi, forms, etc. Department/pathway logos are also now available.  

We’re changing our name because Pikes Peak State College better describes our college’s trajectory, particularly as it pertains to the expansion of four-year degrees. Increasingly, our graduates are finding that a “community college” transcript is a disadvantage when applying for jobs and graduate schools. Taking on this new name, we aspire to increase enrollment, partnerships, and fund-raising.

“State” describes a public institution that is state-funded. We continue serving El Paso, Teller, and Elbert Counties as well as students all over the world through online options.

The College's Past Art and Graphic Design Manager Noel Dolan created the logo and all branding materials in-house, with pro-bono consultation from Fixer Brand Design Studio and others. The former logo was also created in-house.  

During this transition period, we can still use “Pikes Peak State College.” But after August 29th, we will refer to ourselves on first reference as Pikes Peak State College, and, on second reference, as Pikes Peak State. “PPSC” will be acceptable on legal documents or areas in which the writing must be more economical.

There will be a public celebration on September 16. Stay tuned for details.

 

Yes. You can find all of the brand assets here.

For usage guidelines, view the brand guide.

Yes. The email will change automatically, some time after we move to the new URL, pikespeak.edu. That means your new emails will be your.name@pikespeak.edu. But we hope to keep your old ones redirecting for as long as we can.

You will need new name tags, and those can be ordered through the print shop. Business cards are optional, and also can be ordered through the print shop. We don't want to be wearing or giving out anything with the old name. 

You don't need a new college ID unless your old one is damaged or you're a new employee or student. Department and Division, pathway and department logos are available here.

No. Our FAFSA code will remain 008896. 

Yes, when requested, all former college students can get transcripts that say "Pikes Peak State College." Going forward, transcripts will read "Pikes Peak State College," and so will diplomas.

  • Our commitment to remaining the highest quality and most affordable option for higher education in the Pikes Peak region.
  • Open enrollment, accepting all applicants.
  • Our commitment to serving our community. We are still a community college.
  • Our commitment to providing two-year degrees, certificates, and transfer opportunities.
  • Student access to services and resources.
  • We will remain part of the Colorado Community College System.
  • Our requirements for employment.
  • Changing our name to “state college” will not change our tuition and fee schedule.

Design & Branding FAQs

The Pathway Program Icons are designed to visually represent and organize our pathways. Each program is assigned a unique icon, and every course within that program shares the same icon. This system helps students easily identify which classes belong to which program. Icon choices are made strategically as part of the overall system. If your icon does not accurately portray your program, or if you believe your program should be in a different pathway, please reach out to Marketing@pikespeak.edu to discuss the change.

For usage guidelines, view the brand guide.

These were assigned based on their included programs and meant to be strictly for that specific pathway to differentiate it from the main brand and create consistency throughout the pathway. Again, the colors were approached strategically both from a utilitarian point of view (do they contrast well when used together, for example) and with the program in mind. For example, the medical sciences colors of slate blue and mint green were inspired by medical scrubs, and light blues and greens are used in medical facilities to soothe and create a sense of calm.

Find out your pathway's color palette by viewing the brand guide.

An organization’s brand represents who they are to their target audiences. Building brand integrity comes from consistent visuals and consistent messaging. Without the latter, brand recognition and value starts to disappear, which ultimately hurts the brand. Consistent colors, patterns, logos, etc reinforce the brand and those guidelines must be adhered to so as not to confuse our audience. This is especially important with our name change. 

The brand assets, which include logos, colors, typefaces, patterns, and graphic elements, were designed strategically to best represent the college. Things like photos, project layouts and text will always go through the client approval process where we try to implement as many of your wishes as possible. We always want you to be happy with the end product while also maintaining our brand integrity. 

  • Process included three-phases over three months: brand exploration, data interpretation, and design
  • Award-winning branding agency Fixer Creative consulted pro bono on the brand exploration and data interpretation. 
  • Design was crafted in-house based on those results and vetted by five award-winning designers including Rule 29 in Chicago whose clients include Make-A-Wish, McDonald’s, and Coke.

The mountains represent the path to the future. They point upwards toward possibilities. The mountain is modern and geometric to look like an abstract arrow representing an upward journey. The continued use of mountains keeps the logo consistent with the evolution of our brand. The color green means growth, stability, and go. Green initiates action. The color blue means calm, trust, intelligence, and soothing.

We have transitioned from Canva to Adobe Express for all PPSC self-service design needs. This switch is made possible because Adobe Express is included in our existing Adobe subscription, eliminating the additional costs associated with Canva. 

Please visit Adobe Express for Self-Service Design where you’ll find information about access, training, tips, and downloads.

No. The rebranding committee has decided to keep the business cards simple and not allow QR codes.

All logos need to be consistent. The font size is based off of the fit of the longest department name. To maintain brand integrity, they cannot be adjusted individually. The ONLY exception is for swag imprints, where size limitations can be an issue. They will be reviewed by marketing on a case-by-case basis.

There are three file formats included in your download: EPS, PNG, and JPG. Download this reference guide to help disseminate which format to use.

Although we previously had vertical lock-ups, it's not a common practice to do so in higher education. The horizontal version, both in full color and white, are the only official lock-ups. However, when swag is ordered and imprint areas are very small, marketing will review the vendor proofs and approve on a case-by-case basis.

Marketing is inundated with numerous requests concerning the name change and rebrand. All projects are added to the production schedule based on the most urgent deadlines. We appreciate your patience and will fulfill your requests as soon as possible. Please fill out a Marketing Project Request to make sure your project is added to our schedule.

Both are available on the copy center website storefront for order. All orders must be approved by your supervisor and you'll need to provide the appropriate org code. Due to the high volume of orders for business cards, delivery is expected to be 4–6 weeks from time of order.