Missouri Western State University rebrands with familiar, modern name
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Missouri Western State University has adopted MoWest as the primary way the university will be identified.
In a press release sent to New-Press NOW on Tuesday, the university announced its new name as part of a rebrand.
"For years, students, alumni and community members have affectionately referred to us as MoWest," said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, university president. "It's familiar, approachable and reflects an authentic, personal connection. MoWest is a name that feels modern, memorable and distinctly ours."
'MoWest' is a nickname commonly used by students, faculty and alumni. The change is part of a broader effort to modernize the university’s image and strengthen its identity in a competitive higher education landscape.
The MoWest name will now be the university’s primary public-facing brand and will appear across marketing materials, merchandise, social media and campus signage. The updated branding includes a refreshed version of the Griffon logo, maintaining the university’s traditional mascot, while giving it a sharper, more contemporary look.
The transition will be gradual, with updated visuals and messaging rolling out over the coming academic year. While the new name will take center stage in the university’s branding, the university's official name remains Missouri Western State University, which is how it will appear on official documents.
"We had so many people that refer to us as MoWest, on social media, in conversations, in writings -- it's how everybody thought about us and we just kind of stopped and went, 'if this is who we are, let's embrace it,'" Dr. Kennedy said. "Let's be the university of the community because that's our goal. We want to make this a university town and really become more and more embedded into the community, so it's really exciting for us."
The rebrand follows a year of campus-wide surveys and community feedback, which revealed strong support for embracing the MoWest identity.
The university is also launching a new campaign aimed at prospective students called 'More at MoWest.' The campaign highlights how MoWest empowers every student to achieve more and speaks to the breadth of academic programs, the energy of campus life and the hands-on, career-focused experiences aimed at helping students turn passion into practice.
University leaders emphasize that while the branding is evolving, the mission remains the same -- no matter what the brand looks like, the primary focus continues to be the success of students.
