Sports and Academics Converge
UNC-Chapel Hill’s famous interlocking NC logo has long been associated with Tar Heel sports. But it actually dates back to at least the 1870s when used in Commencement invitations and was later adopted by athletics teams in the 1890s. More than a century later, the NC logo remains largely unchanged and is instantly recognizable by millions across the globe.
Now, in conjunction with a new marketing campaign, the entire University is adopting the interlocking NC as its official logo. The symbol of the athletics program will mark Carolina’s full range of achievements as a leading national public university, the perennial top best-value school and a research center.
Comments Adrienne King, associate vice chancellor for marketing. “It’s only right that this symbol with so much history should serve as a unifying mark for the birthplace of public higher education.” While many university logos change with time, Carolina’s NC looks remarkably similar in 2025 to the one from the 1800s. “It’s been pretty standard – that block sans-serif font,” University Archivist Nicholas Graham said.
Adds King: “People from all across North Carolina see it and know what it represents. This is where students from all corners of the state come to learn and become the state’s doctors and teachers. This is where national championships are won, where North Carolinians receive lifesaving medical care and where research breakthroughs and innovations influencing everyday life and the economy are made. That’s what those two letters capture.”
Learn more about the institution’s graphic design team on instagram.
