About the Brand

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Our People and Place Are Our Brand

San José State University’s brand begins with our people—students, faculty, staff members and alumni—and our role in creating a place of diverse experience in the 10th largest city in the U.S. Throughout our history, we have evolved along with the needs of our students, our region and the world. San José State has expanded from an institution focused solely on preparing teachers to educate a young California to one that is developing the diverse talent required for the future of work across industries.

As Silicon Valley’s public university, San José State is the Most Transformative University in the nation and an essential partner in the economic, cultural and social development of the world’s center of creativity and innovation. San José State provides a world-class education, cutting-edge scholarship, research, innovative creative activities, and transformative experiences that advance the public good on a global scale. 

San José State's identity is communicated through the stories of Spartans studying, teaching, researching, living and working here in Silicon Valley and around the globe. These are stories of transformation, and the university continually transforms to meet the needs of its community, for today and tomorrow.

Brand Promise

San José State University
The Gateway to Creativity and Innovation

As Silicon Valley’s public university, San José State provides access to cutting-edge research, world-class scholarship and transformative opportunities that advance the public good locally and globally.

Brand Pillars

These key themes capture the fundamental elements of our brand. When you write or speak about San José State, use them to frame the content or conversation, adapting the message as appropriate per channel, platform and audience. Each pillar is equally important to our brand.

Teaching Through Research

With $65 million in annual research, SJSU is a top-200 school nationally in terms of research funding and second highest in research productivity in the California State University system.

Public Good On a Global Scale

For more than 160 years, San José State’s students, alumni and faculty and staff members have created a world of public good, adapting to meet the needs of the region and the global economy.

Silicon Valley Experience

Located in downtown San José, California, the 10th largest city in the nation, San José State’s urban campus offers the ability to live, learn, work — and enjoy the best of the Bay Area, its surrounding mountain ranges and the Pacific Ocean.

Equity, Inclusion and Justice

San José State is proud of its long history of student civil rights activism, commitment to social justice, service to first-generation student populations, and welcoming of racial and ethnic diversity.

Student-Centered

San José State offers student-centered learning opportunities and experiences — through interdisciplinary and experiential programs, curricular- and co-curricular- based internships, study abroad, service- learning projects, research and more — that support students’ ability to learn in an active manner.

Brand Personality

What are our Spartan traits?
What are the words we use to describe SJSU today?

When creating your messages, use language that reflects these characteristics of our personality.

  • Justice-oriented
  • Collaborative
  • Innovative
  • Community-minded
  • Resilient