Marketing & Branding Guidelines for Student Orgs
Penn State encourages student organizations to showcase their pride and connection to the University through creative marketing, apparel, and promotional items. Whether you’re designing posters, t-shirts, or banners, you have plenty of opportunities to highlight your group’s spirit. However, it’s important to remember that many Penn State logos and graphics are trademarked or registered and must be used properly to protect the University brand.
Below are key guidelines to help you plan your designs, avoid delays, and ensure your marketing materials reflect both your organization and Penn State in a positive way.
Branding Expectations
Student organizations play a vital role in shaping campus life and community at Penn State. To support clarity, consistency, and appropriate use of University branding, student organizations are grouped into three tiers based on their relationship to the University. Each tier carries different expectations for branding, approvals, and use of Penn State marks, helping organizations communicate effectively while maintaining their unique identities.
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Recognized Student Organizations are fully student-run and operate independently from the University. Students maintain control over programming, leadership, and messaging, with learning and growth prioritized as part of the experience.
Branding and Approval Requirements
- University Brand Review not required
- Penn State marks optional and only permitted if officially requested and provided
- No approval required for social media or websites
- Organizations may create and use their own branding, logos, and artwork within outline parameters
- Use of trademarked or restricted University marks is not permitted
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Affiliate organizations are highly visible student groups that maintain autonomy while working closely with University staff advisors. This model balances independence with guidance, particularly for large-scale or high-impact programs.
Branding and Approval Requirements
- University brand review not required
- Penn State marks generally not permitted unless officially requested and provided
- No approval required for social media or websites
- Independent branding is allowed and encouraged
- Organizations are strongly encouraged to consult with communications staff due to visibility
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Sponsored organizations are created and operated within University units and function as extensions of those departments. Staff maintain direct oversight to ensure alignment with institutional priorities, risk management, and compliance.
Branding and Approval Requirements
- University brand review required
- Must follow Penn State and Student Affairs brand standards
- Penn State marks required and paired with the sponsoring unit mark
- Social media and website presence require approval and oversight
- Websites must be approved and housed on studentaffairs.psu.edu unless otherwise approved
Sponsored organizations must meet all accessibility, design, and approval requirements and work closely with Student Affairs Communications and Marketing on all branding efforts.
Naming Convention, Logos, and Marks
Student organizations are a part of the Penn State brand and thus must follow guidelines and rules associated with the use of copyright and trademarked symbols. All materials created by recognized student organizations must follow the appropriate processes and guidelines to gain approval from the Office of Licensing.
- Student organizations are permitted to use only their registered organization name followed by ‘at Penn State’. For example, Student Farm Club at Penn State is permissible, Penn State Student Farm Club is not.
- For all licensed products, Penn State student organizations must use only their registered organization name.
- Student organizations can request a formal Penn State mark for their organization by completing this online form. Once provided, this mark is not to be altered in any way.
Using Penn State Symbols
Recognized student organizations have access to use select University symbols below. These symbols are not permitted to be used as an organization mark or logo and are available only for decorative artwork for posters, banners, t-shirts, etc.
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Paw Print Graphic
The Nittany Lion paw print graphic is available for use by Penn State students. The paw print is trademarked by the University and must not be altered. Merchandise featuring the paw print requires a registration symbol.
Lion Shrine Images
A variety of different Lion Shrine images and drawings are approved for student organization use. These are the only Lion Shrine images that are approved for use and these images should not be altered or redrawn. Lion Shrine images may not be used as part of a Student Organization logo. It may be used for accent artwork on posters, banners, etc.
Lion Caricatures
A variety of Lion Caricatures are available for use by student organizations. These graphics should not be altered, and students must follow the guidelines document, which can be found in the folder with the images.
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University Seal
The University seal should not be used by student organizations. It is typically reserved for use on official University documents. It also appears on diplomas and at commencement events to recognize the conferring of an academic degree.
University Buildings
The use of images of Penn State buildings is not permitted, including those recreated or hand drawn.
Penn State Athletics Logo
The Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics logo typically cannot be used for student organizations and requires permission.
Block “S” Logo
The Block "S" logo is a Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics logo and cannot typically be used for student organizations.
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Students are welcome to design artwork that captures their organization’s identity, but they may not recreate or modify trademarked university graphics. This includes the Lion Shield, athletic marks, paw prints, the Nittany Lion mascot or shrine, and any campus buildings or landmarks.
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With the exception of the University-Recognized Student Organization Shield Mark, Penn State graphics may not be used as part of a student organization’s logo. These graphics are intended for decorative use only, such as on posters, banners, apparel, and promotional materials.
- Student organizations can create their own logos to support their efforts. These marks must use the approval recognized student organization name and cannot include the words Penn State within the logo or artwork.
University-Recognized Student Organization Shield Mark
University-recognized student organizations may request access to a special version of the University’s mark for use on their materials by completing an online request form. This mark must be used as provided and may not be altered in any way. Detailed guidance on appropriate use is available in the Student Organization Marketing Toolkit.
Social Media
Student organizations can utilize social media for their associated account without formal approval. Use of the Penn State name in handles or claim of a representation of association with Penn State is reserved for recognized student organizations.
Tag @studentlifepsu to share events and successes.
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Penn State affiliated accounts are always looking to share dynamic content from student organizations. Consider tagging accounts or asking to collaborate so we can champion your successes or members.
- Be Authentic: Showcase your organization’s unique personality and activities.
- Stay Current: Share photos, stories, and updates from recent events to keep your audience engaged.
- Post Consistently: Aim for 2-3 posts per week to maintain an active presence.
- Highlight Achievements: Celebrate your members’ successes and organizational milestones.
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People may leave a comment or post something on your page’s wall that is critical, negative, or offensive. Correcting a mistake, apologizing, and offering better in the future or providing information is often the best way to let the poster know you have heard them. Unless the post is profane, obscene, harassing, or threatening, it is not a best practice to delete it.
- Do not delete a negative comment. It draws attention, inflames the situation, and allows others to question your integrity.
- Handle negative comments and developments quickly and professionally.
- Encourage the poster to communicate via phone or e-mail to take the conversation out of the public realm.
- Responding to correct a mistake and let the poster know you have heard them or ignoring the post entirely are both appropriate options depending on the circumstance.
- Delete inappropriate comments, such as profanity, spam, racist or hateful language, or threats.
- Take a screen shot of negative posts, in case the matter is contested.
- Block users that continually post spam.
- Consider including posting guidelines on your page that explain you will delete inappropriate posts or comments.
- If followers are engaging negatively with each other, consider commenting to let them know you are monitoring and ask them to keep comments civil.
Promoting Events
Getting attention for your event starts with meeting students where they are — both online and around campus. Whether you’re launching a new initiative or hosting a signature program, these strategies can help you make real connections and grow your audience.
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Listing your event in Discover helps you make the most of Penn State’s event management tools. You can handle reservations, manage QR ticketed entry, and keep details organized all in one place. Events posted in Discover also feed directly into key University platforms — including Penn State GO, the Student Affairs website, and other campus calendars — giving your organization broader visibility and helping more students connect with what you’re hosting.
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Creative, consistent promotion helps student organizations reach students where they are — even in unexpected places. The Toilet Paper and Elevator Pitch programs give recognized student organizations a chance to share announcements in high-visibility spaces across campus, connecting your message with a broad student audience.
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Take advantage of on-campus digital screens and Student Affairs newsletters to reach students beyond your immediate circles. Submitting your event through Discover or campus communications channels ensures your message appears in trusted, visible spaces across the university.
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For larger events or initiatives that impact the broader community, consider drafting a short press release or connecting with the Student Affairs Communications team. They can help refine your story and share it through official channels to elevate your organization’s work. Press releases are subject to approval and must meet certain requirements; connect with our team to learn more.
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Use your organization’s social platforms to build momentum before, during, and after your event. Share behind-the-scenes prep, highlight your members, and tag Penn State Student Affairs or related offices to expand your reach. A few well-timed posts are often more effective than constant promotion — focus on clarity and authenticity.
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Print materials still matter — especially when they’re well-designed and easy to read. Use eye-catching visuals, include only the essentials (event name, date, location, contact), and follow Penn State’s posting guidelines to make sure your materials stay up.
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Face-to-face outreach still works best. Set up a table in a high-traffic area like the HUB-Robeson Center or near dining spaces, and have members ready to talk about what makes your event worth attending. Keep the setup inviting — clear signage, quick talking points, and a simple way to sign up or learn more.
Promotional Materials
Licensed Vendors
When purchasing merchandise or apparel for your organization such as t-shirts, water bottles, pins, etc. students MUST use a licensed vendor. Only licensed vendors may reproduce University marks, names, and logos. For more information and a list of licensed vendors visit Penn State Licensing.
Registration Marks
Many recognizable Penn State names and graphics are registered or trademarked. Any merchandise or promotional products using these names or graphics must include the appropriate [R] or [TM] symbol. When students use a licensed vendor, the vendor can assist in ensuring all the correct registration marks and trademarks are included.
Intellectual Property Rights
It is the sole responsibility of recognized student organizations to ensure that they refrain from engaging in activities that may infringe the intellectual property rights of third parties. Notwithstanding that responsibility, the University reserves the right to prohibit, and generally will reject all proposals that it perceives as involving, the use of the University’s name, designs, marks, and indicia on the same articles as or in conjunction with other names, designs, marks, or other indicia that it, in its sole discretion, believes potentially infringe or may be perceived as infringing such third party rights. Please reach out to Penn State Licensing with questions.
Hand-drawn Artwork
Students may create artwork that conveys the spirit of their organization. Do not redraw trademarked university graphics such as the Lion Shield, athletic marks, paw prints, the Nittany Lion mascot or shrine, and any campus buildings or landmarks.
Marketing Support Made for You
The Student Organization Printing Support office provides all recognized student organizations with poster and banner printing at discounted rates and free event posters in partnership with UPAC.
