Sesquicentennial toolkit
Welcome to the Virginia Tech Sesquicentennial toolkit. This site provides the tools needed for the university, alumni chapters, and all of our communities to celebrate Virginia Tech’s 150th anniversary, from July 2021 through December 2022.
Questions or comments? Contact vtbrand@vt.edu.
Boilerplate (may be used verbatim)
Founded in 1872, Virginia Tech will celebrate 150 years of impact and engagement from fall 2021 through 2022. The sesquicentennial celebration explores Virginia Tech’s past, present, and future through the lens of three cross-cutting themes: solve problems, extend knowledge, and create and engage communities. The university motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), serves as the foundation of our efforts and represents our highest aspirations. The sesquicentennial’s future-oriented focus is based in the university’s Beyond Boundaries visioning effort.
Calendar
Each college and unit will also have a featured month in which they will be highlighted and share their place in Virginia Tech’s unique history and exciting future. While you are not being asked to “create” specific sesquicentennial content, it is requested that you incorporate sesquicentennial themes into your existing plans during your feature month, as well as throughout the comprehensive anniversary period. The schedule of colleges/units and the months in which they will be featured is as follows:
Featured units each month
July 2021
Inclusion and Diversity
August 2021
Inclusion and Diversity
September 2021
- Corps of Cadets
- Innovation Campus
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
October 2021
- Athletics
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
November 2021
- College of Science
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
December 2021
- DC/Metro Area
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
January 2022
- 4-H/Virginia Cooperative Extension
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
February 2022
- Liberal Arts & Human Sciences
- Government Relations
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
March 2022
- Virginia Maryland School of Veterinary Medicine
- Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute
- Women’s Center
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
- Council on Virginia Tech History
April 2022
- Student Affairs
- Moss Arts Center
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
May 2022
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
June 2022
- Outreach and International Affairs
- Reunion
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
July 2022
- Skelton 4-H Center
- Honors College
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
August 2022
- Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
September 2022
- Engineering
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
October 2022
- Natural Resources and Environment
- University Libraries
- Council on Virginia Tech History
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
November 2022
- Architecture and Urban Studies
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
December 2022
- Pamplin College of Business
- Graduate School
- Inclusion and Diversity
Cross-cutting Themes
Sesquicentennial themes were developed with the Academic Work Group, vetted with senior leadership, and reviewed with key stakeholders. Three themes emerged: solve problems, extend knowledge, and create and engage communities. The sesquicentennial celebration is grounded in the university’s motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), and informed by the social context of COVID-19 and calls for racial justice during its planning.
Narrated slide deck (on vt.edu/150) includes overview, themes, and social context for sesqui.
Email Signature
All university employees should follow the email signature formatting shown in the BrandGuidelines (page 92). From July 2021 through December 2022, employees are encouraged to use the following email signature. Please do not use any other taglines or messages during this period.
Firstname Lastname
Title
Virginia Tech l College/Unit Name
Address
Email
[The sesquicentennial logo will be inserted here in July.]
Imagery
Sesquicentennial Imagery: Images illustrating Virginia Tech’s sesquicentennial cross-cutting themes may be accessed in the University Relations Photo Library Sesquicentennial Imagery collection.
Then and Now Motif: To create a “then and now” motif for web and print purposes, an Adobe Illustrator template has been created with instructions included. Note: when selecting imagery past and present imagery, if possible, record the subject, date taken, and photographer. This supplement information will help to provide image descriptions that help the audience understand the comparison.
Letterhead
The Virginia Tech sesquicentennial letterhead file will be uploaded here in July.
Key Messaging
Link to narrated slide show has all current, authoritative messaging. Other messaging to come as needed.
Proclamations/resolutions
As proclamations or resolutions are created by governing bodies to celebrate our sesquicentennial, we will provide links to them here.
Social Media
Official hashtag: #VT150. Use #VT150 on relevant sesquicentennial content, either as the only hashtag or in conjunction with no more than one other brand hashtag (official brand hashtags can be found here under “Using Hashtags”: https://brand.vt.edu/identity/social.html)
Templates: Social media templates are provided in the Templates section, below.
Use of the official 150 mark in social media: Follow the same guidelines as you would the Virginia Tech mark — do not alter, edit, overlay, etc. the mark with other imagery. Use the provided social media templates in the toolkit when branding your unit’s #VT150 social media assets.
Questions about social media usage: Consult a member of the New Media team by emailing socialmedia-g@vt.edu
Style Guide
The University Style Guide can be found here. Sesquicentennial-specific style guide information:
150th: Do not use superscript for the “th”.
Sesquicentennial/sesquicentennial/sesqui: Do not use “sesqui” in public-facing communications. AP lowercases sesquicentennial as a noun and adjective. We can capitalize it when it is modified by “Virginia Tech.” That is, Virginia Tech Sesquicentennial or Virginia Tech Sesquicentennial celebration. When not modified by the university name, use sesquicentennial as a noun and an adjective, e.g., sesquicentennial events.
Do not refer to the sesquicentennial as a birthday or party. Anniversary, observance, or celebration may be used.
Swag
Quick ordering: See Templates, Swag, below.
Starting from scratch: See Visual Brand Downloads and Visual Brand Guidelines, below, as well as University Licensing and Trademarks Guidelines for design guidance. Then place your order with a licensed vendor.
Questions about ordering swag: Contact licensing@vt.edu.
Templates
The following templates will be available here starting in July.
BBIS email header
Social Media Templates:
- Facebook event cover image (1200px x 628px)
- Facebook in feed post image (1200px x 630px)
- Facebook frame (1:1, circle)
- Instagram in feed post image (1:1, square)
- Instagram story image (9:16)
- Twitter image (16:9)
Invitation
PowerPoint slides
- Advanced PowerPoint slides
- Simple PowerPoint slides
Pop-up banner
Step-and-repeat banner
Swag
Video
Videos related to the sesquicentennial may be viewed on Kaltura and YouTube.
Website
Toolkit for Colleges and Units
College and unit Advancement teams can access additional toolkit assets. Use the button below to see it, PID and password are required.