A Wall Full of Possibility
by Laurie Genet Preston
What had once been an ordinary wall was becoming a vibrant reflection of Transylvania University itself — a colorful collection of images inspired by academics, campus traditions, Lexington and the shared experiences that have connected generations of Pioneers.
Students paused to study sketches. Faculty members stopped by to check on progress. Dining staff offered encouragement as they passed. What began as an idea championed by students was taking shape through the efforts of an entire campus community.
The mural’s story started several years earlier, when students began imagining how the prominent wall behind the Campus Center might better reflect the energy and creativity of the university. The concept gained momentum through conversations with the Student Government Association and the Visual Arts Committee, eventually finding a champion in assistant professor of art Grace Ramsey and a home in her May term mural course.
Turning that vision into reality required more than artistic talent.
The Office of Marketing and Communications worked alongside students, faculty and staff to help move the project from concept to completion, coordinating approvals across campus and providing funding for supplies that would allow the mural to take shape. Facilities management prepared the wall, supplied equipment and helped create a workspace where students could focus on the creative process.
“One of our goals in the marketing and communications office is helping students tell the story of Transylvania,” said Stephen Russell, creative director. “When this opportunity emerged, we wanted to help remove barriers and connect the right people so their vision could become reality.”
The support reflected a broader commitment to creating opportunities for students to shape the campus they call home.
“The students had a clear vision for creating something that reflected their experience at Transylvania,” said Anthony Mead, director of the Morlan Gallery and chair of the Visual Arts Committee. “What was exciting was seeing so many different parts of the university come together to help make that vision possible.”
For Ramsey, the project represented a rare opportunity to combine teaching, public art and community engagement.
“To have the opportunity and have everything kind of come together was really exciting for me,” she said.
Of course, bringing a project of this scale to life required far more than a design concept. There were meetings, approvals, funding decisions, material purchases and logistical challenges to navigate long before the first brush touched the wall.
“This mural project really involves many people,” Ramsey said. “We needed the permission. We needed the go-ahead. We needed the funding.”
Once those pieces were in place, the focus shifted to the students.
Fourteen students enrolled in the May term course. Some were art majors. Many were not. Together, they spent weeks discussing what should be represented on the wall and how a single work of art could capture the spirit of a community as diverse as Transylvania’s.
The answer wasn’t to tell every story. It was to celebrate the experiences that connect them.
“We couldn’t represent every single individual experience at Transy,” Ramsey said. “It had to be more universal.”
The resulting design invites viewers to discover something new each time they pass by. References to academics, Lexington and campus traditions are woven throughout the composition, creating a visual conversation about life at Transylvania.
The process of creating the mural mirrored the values it celebrates.
Students worked side by side through changing weather, unexpected challenges and the inevitable mistakes that accompany any ambitious project. They learned to adapt, solve problems and trust one another. Paint dripped. Plans changed. Sections were repainted. Each obstacle became part of the learning experience.
“We were making mistakes all over the place,” Ramsey said. “But all of it just gets fixed because you can cover anything up with paint.”
The lessons extended far beyond the art studio. Students gained experience in project management, communication, flexibility and creative problem-solving while learning how to contribute to a shared vision.
There’s real joy that comes from making something with people.
Grace Ramsey
“There’s real joy that comes from making something with people,” Ramsey said.
By the end of May term, the mural had become more than a finished work of art. It had become a record of collaboration among students, faculty, staff and university offices that shared a commitment to helping students bring an idea to life.
For Mead, that’s one of the most important lessons the project offers.
“We want our students to know that when they have ideas, they can be carried through all the way to fruition,” he said.
We want our students to know that when they have ideas, they can be carried through all the way to fruition.
Anthony Mead
Before the final supplies were packed away, each student signed a brick along the bottom of the wall.
Most visitors will never notice those signatures.
However, the students who created the mural will.
They may return to campus as alumni, bringing family members to see the place that helped shape them. Standing before the wall, they’ll point to a favorite detail and remember the weeks spent painting alongside classmates and friends.
