Valeria Pacheco, an East Texas A&M University Bachelor of Social Work student, combined campus traditions with Texas street art to create a colorful Spirit Wall now on display in the Rayburn Student Center (RSC).

Pacheco's design process began with a search for inspiration and online research of different college and street murals. Inspiration finally arrived while reflecting on her trip to Austin, which led to the idea of creating a mural in the iconic “Greetings from Austin” style that highlights the traditions, events and experiences that define East Texas A&M.

Using Adobe Photoshop, Pacheco developed the initial concept in seven days. To ensure the design reflected campus life, she reviewed content from the Office of Student Engagement's Instagram page, Be Involved Lions, drawing inspiration from recognizable university traditions, student activities and memorable moments shared by the campus community. In addition to her artistic work, Pacheco serves as the marketing officer for the Hispanic/Latinx Student Union and is a resident assistant for Residential Living and Learning at New Pride.

Pacheco emphasizes that the mural was created through her own research and hand-drawn design work. She said the experience reinforced her belief that anyone can be an artist. She views art as an everyday expression of creativity that can be found in the ways people communicate, learn, connect and experience the world around them.

Now on display in the RSC, the mural offers a colorful snapshot of the ETAMU experience, celebrating everything from campus landmarks and athletics to student success and the cultural backgrounds that make up the university community. Serving as a visual representation of campus life, the mural creates a lasting impression in a space visited by hundreds of students, visitors or prospective students each day.

“It's amazing to have a place for students to gather, take photos and share the experiences the mural may inspire,” Pacheco said.