Like most of our student body, I woke up on July 31, 2025, excited to continue preparing for move-in weekend. But when I opened Instagram, I was blindsided by the announcement of “Fordham University’s evolved brand.” With no warning and little dialogue, it felt like walking into a surprise exam in an 8:30 a.m. course. I had never considered Fordham to be a brand, and I still don’t. This place is my home, my school and my city. I, as a Fordham student, will never be a product to market.
So many questions ran through my head, but mainly, “Who asked for this?” I may only be a sophomore here, but I can’t remember hearing any discourse on the likeability of our logo. In fact, I loved the simplicity of the old block-letter Fordham “F” and could be found proudly wearing my hat or shirt with it displayed. It felt incredibly collegiate. Now, I’m unsure what I should do with that merchandise. Do I continue to wear it and look out of place among the banners lining Edwards Parade, or should I donate it all and start over?
My confusion solidified into frustration when I opened the comment section. Most of the reactions were similar to mine, but the university seemed to disregard our concerns. One commenter wrote, “As an alumni I am hugely disappointed that the University has stripped the crest of all of its meaning,” to which the university replied, “Fordham University is undertaking a brand evolution to sharpen its identity in an increasingly competitive higher education marketplace.” This is a direct quote from the brand FAQ — a line so polished and rehearsed it could’ve been pulled straight from a corporate pitch deck. And while I appreciate the consistency in messaging, what’s glaringly absent is sincerity. The statement reads less like a conversation with the Fordham community and more like a press release aimed at outsiders who never walk through our gates, make the hike to Faculty Memorial Hall or dine in the McShane Campus Center.
Another comment under the post reads: “Horrible. Looks like some ambiguous app you forgot was on your phone.” This makes a good point: the rollout and implementation seem messy and uncoordinated. Why adopt the new logo now if Fordham Athletics isn’t doing so until the spring? Why is there a need to “evolve” the seal? Again, what am I supposed to do with my old merch?
Seeking clarity, I contacted Justin Bell, vice president of marketing and communications for Fordham. His responses to my questions were more of the same corporate regurgitation. I asked what his reaction was to the almost 1,900 signatures on a Change.org petition calling for the preservation of Fordham’s emblem. Bell responded that he contacted the student, Georgia Bernhard, FCLC ’28. “We had about an hour-long conversation via Zoom, which was very productive. I was able to understand the concerns that surfaced after the launch, and I was able to share with her the broader body of work that informed the evolved brand,” Bell said in his email. I, along with many other students and faculty, would love to see this broader body of work. We’ve heard about the focus groups that were involved in the process, but since their participation was anonymous, there is very little insight we as a community have into this process.
In our conversation, Bell said that over 8,600 members of the Fordham community were involved in the process. Still, I’m finding it hard to locate someone who isn’t employed or otherwise directly affiliated with the university who believes this was a good idea. Students, alumni and faculty have all voiced their concerns. We’ve asked questions and offered perspectives rooted in tradition, identity and pride. But instead of meaningful engagement, we’ve been met with regurgitated, admin-approved soundbites. The phrase “brand evolution” might excite trustees, but it feels like a euphemism for erasure to those who live the Fordham experience every day. Universities must compete for attention in a crowded marketplace, but branding should reflect community, not override it.
A university’s identity is built by classroom debates, dormroom conversations and alumni gatherings — not by logos designed in marketing suites. The people decide what it means to be a Fordham Ram. And when those people speak, they deserve more than a cookie-cutter justification. Until Fordham truly listens to its community, this rebrand remains a symbol of disconnect, not evolution.
We deserve more than a new look and some robots. We deserve a voice.
Catherine A. Payleitner, FCRH ’28, is a political science and journalism double major from Chicago, Illinois.
