Trinity Western Magazine

No. 22
  • The hudson bay flag flies atop historic Fort Langley
  • trinity western's motto in latin Translated: "A mighty fortress is our God"
  • The helmet of salvation bears a wreath brandishing TWU gold and blue
  • The twu crest bears a BC sunburst issuing forth a Trinity cross
  • A 19th-century hudson bay company trader and a northwest coast first nations countryman stand together supporting the TWU crest
  • dogwood, BC's provincial flower, peppers the ground



Flags, Flowers, and Fur Traders

TWU’s Colourful Coat of Arms

At first glance, the image above may seem a peculiar and enigmatic emblem for an academic institution. But Trinity Western’s coat of arms—or armorial bearings—is a richly symbolic artifact of the University’s history, a vital component of the TWU brand, and a hint at the origins of our beloved school.

In 1974, Vice President Robert N. Thompson asked his friend, heraldry expert Reginald Hale, to design a coat of arms for the young College. In his design, Hale took into account the unique geographical and historical facets of the school’s location.

In 1986, the new University sought official recognition of the school’s coat of arms from the British government—a costly undertaking that could only be granted by the Royal College of Arms (RCA), a division of the Queen’s household in England. Fortunately, a local businessman donated the necessary funds to have an official coat of arms redesigned and formalized by the RCA. The coat of arms was then presented to President R. Neil Snider at the University’s 25th anniversary celebration by the Lieutenant Governor of BC, representing Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

As an intricate symbol of our proud school, the TWU coat of arms speaks not only of our rich history, but also heralds our radiant future.

by Jeremy (J. J.) Hutcheson ’08


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