Animated GIF of the new UWRF logo

Our Revitalized Brand

To succeed, all any UW-River Falls Falcon needs is respect, knowledgeable support and the opportunity to try. That's our promise, the heart of our story. It's also the foundation for UW-River Falls revitalized brand.

Opportunity at the Core

The core of our revitalized brand is opportunity. Opportunity can turn a learner into a leader. It can change a person's perspective. Their major. Even their life. At UW-River Falls, we believe in the power of opportunity—and so do our students.

Portrait of Chancellor Maria Gallo
I am proud to build upon the strong traditions and rich history of UW-River Falls. This rebrand represents current success, aspirations for the future and the determination of our Falcons to accept challenges and know they are limitless!
Chancellor Maria Gallo

A Brand that Reflects a Changing World

As stewards of this nearly 150-year-old institution, it's our responsibility to evolve our brand to reflect the changing needs and attitudes of our students and the communities we serve. With rapidly changing societal norms, evolving learner expectations post-Covid and industry transformations happening across the globe, UWRF was at risk of being perceived as out of sync with these realities. We are now proud to have a modernized brand that is authentic to our past, present and future.

Centering the Voices of the People We Serve

Chancellor Gallo believes that the diverse voices, needs and experiences of the people UWRF serves should always be the foundation for the work we do. That is why institutional leaders and third-party researchers engaged over 1,000 current and prospective students, alumni, community stakeholders, donors, faculty and staff throughout the brand study process. The feedback we heard time and again is that UWRF is a place that empowers and challenges, allows individuals to take risks, build on their abilities and chart their own journeys. Our refreshed brand now reflects these lived experiences.

Our North Star: Our Values

In every corner of our campus, our talented faculty and staff are proudly serving a new generation of self-starters and team builders, creative makers and critical thinkers. That's why it is critical that our revitalized brand be rooted in Falcon values, which include:

  • Student Success: We center student needs and foster social mobility by offering every student the knowledge, access, opportunities and support they need to succeed.
  • Excellent Teaching and Learning: We nurture a culture of responsibility and accountability, and earn trust through honesty, transparency, data-driven decision-making and student engagement at every level.
  • A Community of Inclusion and Caring: We foster an authentic and genuine close-knit community based on civility and Falcon pride, where everyone can feel valued, respected and included.
Image of the Branding Anatomy for the UWRF logo

The core of our refreshed brand is opportunity. Opportunity is everywhere at UW-River Falls. We help turn learners into leaders. On our campus, extraordinary opportunities launch students out of the classroom and into hands-on learning experiences. UWRF is shaping a new generation of self-starters and team builders, creative makers and critical thinkers right now—by providing students with the guidance and support they need to think deeply, work smartly, seize opportunity and build the future they want.

Chancellor Gallo believes that the diverse voices, needs and experiences of the people UWRF serves should always be the foundation for the work we do. That is why campus leaders and third-party researchers engaged over 1,000 current and prospective students, alumni, community stakeholders, donors, faculty and staff throughout the process.

As stewards of this nearly 150-year-old institution, it's our responsibility to evolve our brand to reflect the changing needs and attitudes of our students and the communities we serve. This is especially the case as we continue to see society and industries rapidly evolving across the globe.

Additionally, Wisconsin has approximately 85 institutions of higher education, which includes the University of Wisconsin System's 13 comprehensive campuses across the state. That is why it is critical that UWRF's proposition be clear and instantly recognizable to prospective students, donors and industry/community partners.

The research done as part of the rebranding initiative showed that our students see UWRF as a place that empowers and challenges them, allows them to take risks, build on their abilities and chart their own journeys. Our refreshed brand now reflects these lived experiences, while also giving the university the strategic tools to powerfully connect with all of those we serve.

The revitalized UWRF brand won't just be used in new admissions and enrollment marketing and outreach efforts, it will also be used to create more consistent messaging. We believe this consistency will help our stakeholders better understand what makes UWRF unique, will lead to more trusted connections with those stakeholders and will ultimately motivate them to engage with the university. Finally, the revitalized brand operates beyond just marketing and communications. It sets the tone for how our students, alumni, faculty and staff see themselves and their contributions to communities across the country.