The “True Blue and White,” Gonzaga University’s Tartan
Dr. Peggy Sue Loroz
Establishing Gonzaga University’s tartan, the “True Blue and White,” was the project of sixteen junior and senior students in Dr. Peggy Sue Loroz’s Marketing 490 Promotion Project class in the Spring of 2014. A vote to choose among three tartan designs was conducted within the entire Gonzaga community including students, alumni, faculty and staff, and friends of the university. After a total of over 3,000 votes, the final design was selected. It is a permanent trademark of the university, symbolizing its history and traditions through the various colors and design elements.
Blue and White: Gonzaga’s official colors of blue and white link back to the colors of the Virgin Mary.
Red: Used as an accent color to compliment the official school colors.
Three Equal Lines: Represent the Holy Trinity as well as Gonzaga’s philosophy of the development and education of the whole person in mind, body, and spirit.
Green Lines: Represent the Italian heritage of Gonzaga’s founding father, Fr. Joseph Cataldo, as well as the namesake of the school, St. Aloysius Gonzaga. The green line also represents the Irish origins of the first families who attended Gonzaga. The first mascot of the school was the “Fighting Irish” when football was Gonzaga’s dominant sport.
Crosses: Prevalent throughout the tartan, crosses are central to the Catholic faith.
To watch a video created by the students who were part of this project, visit: http://www.gonzaga.edu/tartan. Sarah Hillman (’15) designed the chosen tartan. Sarah was an accounting and entrepreneurial leadership major from Tacoma, Washington. She now works as an Audit Associate at Deloitte.
Interested in a graduation gift that reflects Gonzaga’s legacy? Neckties, bow ties, and cashmere scarves are now available in the ZagShop on campus. These and other products are also available directly from Collegiate Tartan via its website (collegiatetartan.com).
A portion of the proceeds from the sales of tartan merchandise fund instructional needs or student scholarships in the School of Business Administration.