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As first lady, Gloria Bell desired to leave a lasting gift to the campus she served, and that began with a search through the university\u2019s archives.\u00a0 Bell wanted to design a flag for the university marking the spirit and traditions of the campus.\u00a0 Through her research, she established that there was no official flag dedicated to the university.\u00a0 With general ideas already formed, she used basic materials of colored wrapping paper and hand drawings to create samples of her vision.\u00a0 Bell convened a group of university alumni and other campus representatives to assist her in finalizing the design.\u00a0 For more than a year, Bell worked with the selected focus group to create an official flag following five key rules which were: keep it simple; use meaningful symbolism; incorporate only 2-3 basic colors, no lettering, identical sides, and lastly, the flag must be distinctive or be related.<\/p>\n\n\n
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It took several rough drafts with various arrangements of the shapes and images to come to the final design. Bell\u2019s first rendition of the design was a solid purple background with a golden circle set in the center displaying a brown eagle with outstretched wings and a vertical golden column along the end. The final goal of the flag was to honor the most familiar and longstanding traditions of the university. Along with the focus group, Bell\u2019s final concept resulted in the university\u2019s first official flag. The flag had these three components representing the historic and ideal characteristics of Tennessee Tech and its quality reputation including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. The golden eagle. This magnificent bird, with wings outstretched, depicts the pride, honor, strength, and spirit of our students, faculty, and staff.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. The bold pillar. This column of gold represents the pillar of knowledge, intellect, and experience \u2013 all qualities of our prestigious academic reputation.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. The purple base. This field of majestic purple represents the strong foundation of character, commitment, and endurance indicative of our university\u2019s culture.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n May this flag forever wave, and may the history and future of Tennessee Tech University prosper in its shadow.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Tennessee Tech University Flag.\u201d From Tennessee Tech Archives RG 116 Christine Spivey Jones subject files, Box 47, Folder 4, October 2003<\/p>\n\n\n The University made the decision not to reveal an image of the flag publicly until students viewed it for the first time during an unveiling ceremony held at the Homecoming pep rally on Friday, October 31, 2003. Brent Waugh, President of the Student Government Association, introduced University President, Dr. Robert Roy Bell and First Lady, Gloria Bell, along with Julie Galloway, President of the TTU Alumni Association for the first presentation of the flag. The flag was also displayed for viewing at the Alumni Awards Reception which was held later that same day. Another presentation of the flag took place during a pre-game ceremony on the following evening, Saturday, November 1, 2003.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As of 2023, Gloria Bell\u2019s flag was still the official university flag. The flag was displayed alongside the US and Tennessee flags in prominent locations around campus as well as in front of Derryberry Hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bibliography<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDesign of TN Tech flag 2002-2003.\u201d From Tennessee Tech Archives RG 116 Christine Spivey Jones subject files, Box 47, Folder 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lykins, Karen. \u201cTTU First Lady Gloria Bell designs university\u2019s first official flag.\u201d TTU News, October 30, 2003. From Tennessee Tech Archives RG 116 Christine Spivey Jones subject files, Box 47, Folder 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Oracle<\/em>, Vol. 85 No. 7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Oracle<\/em>, Vol. 85 No. 8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Tennessee Tech University Flag.\u201d From Tennessee Tech Archives RG 116 Christine Spivey Jones subject files, Box 47, Folder 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTTU FLAG DESIGN.\u201d From Tennessee Tech Archives RG 116 Christine Spivey Jones subject files, Box 47, Folder 4.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Tammy George Gloria Bell was a first lady at Tennessee Tech with her husband, President Robert Bell from 2000 to 2012. Gloria Bell was the designer of the Tech Flag. As first lady, Gloria Bell desired to leave a … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.tntech.edu\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2023\/11\/Flag-3.png\")