Preserving Minerva

At the University of Louisville, tradition and innovation often meet in unexpected ways. One of the most enduring symbols of that connection is the university’s official seal, the Minerva. Steeped in history and safeguarded through modern technology, the Minerva embodies UofL’s mission, spirit and pride.

For Steven Skaggs ’73, who retired from UofL as head of the graphic design program and a professor of design, the Minerva is more than a seal – it’s a legacy. 

“When we have an emblem that unites the mission of learning and higher education, it reminds us of who we are as a university,” Skaggs said. “It’s a pictorial icon of a goddess, but it’s more than that. It’s a symbol of a protector of our academic mission and an advocate for the pursuit of knowledge.”

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Designed with classical imagery and dating back to the 1800s, UofL’s seal features Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and a sponsor of the arts, making her the university’s picture-perfect figurehead. Over the decades, the Minerva seal has appeared on diplomas, official documents and at ceremonial events where tradition matters most.

Skaggs, an expert in visual communication, said symbols matter because they remind us we are part of something larger than ourselves. 

“We, as a people, are united by the symbols we adopt. Think about it – our clothes, our tattoos, our mode of walking, cars we choose to drive, decor of our living spaces ... all of these are in some sense symbolic of who we are,” Skaggs said. 

UofL’s Minerva is dressed in “battle garb,” wearing a necklace and earring to represent beauty, but also a helmet to show her as a fierce defender. 

“She is fighting on the side of the arts and all the disciplines that are encompassed by the university and for the expansion of knowledge,” Skaggs said. “Minerva reminds us that acquiring knowledge is not easy. Our students must work hard. Our faculty must remain at the forefront of their respective fields. You can find all of these suggestions in the UofL Minerva.”

But in the age of digital communication, maintaining the integrity of a decades-old symbol comes with new challenges. Austrian typographer, sculptor, architect and printer, Victor Hammer carved the seal we know from a block of wood in the 1950s, which served as the university’s first professional design of the Minerva, which was meant for analog use.

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“By the time the 1990s arrived, UofL was being increasingly shown on TV and computers,” Skaggs said. “I recall seeing TV commercials during football games and the Minerva looked like an indistinct blob.”

That’s when Skaggs rallied the help of then head of printing services and communications, John Chamberlain, and student Dan Delaney to preserve the Minerva in precise digital form, ensuring that the seal remained clear and consistent no matter where it appears – from a letterhead to a smartphone screen.

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“It was never intended for all the uses it was now asked to meet, so the main thing was to retain as much of the look and feel of the original as possible and digitize the design so that it could be used in the graphic computer systems which were just beginning to proliferate,” Skaggs said.

Working with mechanical drawing tools and ink, then scanned and recreated using digital tools, he and his team carefully redrew and refined the Minerva to make sure every curve, line and letter was faithfully preserved for the digital age.

“Together, we made something that may stand up well for a very long time. And isn’t that what Minerva truly stands for?”

Ultimately, the Minerva belongs to the UofL community – the students who walk across the stage to receive their diplomas, the alumni who carry Cardinal pride around the world and the faculty and staff who live the university’s mission every day. 

To Cardinals, the Minerva is a living emblem, reminding everyone that UofL’s pursuit of wisdom will never fade.

Explore more stories from the fall/winter 2025 issue of UofL Magazine