Second-year student Zora Williams is using her voice to bring more mental health and nutrition programming to San Diego Mesa College. Williams was elected president of the college’s Associated Students (AS) for the 2024-2025 academic year and serves as the college’s student representative on the San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees.
Sometimes, you hear a story that makes you want to know more. Kevin Gonzalez has such a story. The last time this story was updated, San Diego Mesa College student Kevin Gonzalez was a 15 year-old heading off to Massachusetts to complete his high school education. In the ensuing years, he has travelled to the other side of the world, built houses, but remained in close contact with his Mesa College professors and connections he made while on campus.
The San Diego Community College District has appointed four new student trustees for the upcoming academic year. Dalia Ramirez (San Diego City College), Zora Williams (San Diego Mesa College), Hailey Hua (San Diego Miramar College), and Haydee Zuniga (San Diego College of Continuing Education), will be sworn in during the June 20 SDCCD Board of Trustees meeting.
August 22, 2024
San Diego Mesa College proudly introduces a new mural painted by alumnus Andrew Alcasid on the lower-level entrance of the Fine Arts building. As a graduate of the Museum Studies Program, Andrew brought his artistic vision full circle to the community that taught him the skills needed to excel as a working artist.
The mural, which extends vertically about 30 feet from the ground, displays a spread of floating orchids against a background of blues and greens. To ensure that the mural highlighted the existing space, Andrew purposefully chose colors that complement the existing surrounding yellow walls. Andrew shared, "I like to work in response to the conditions of the given space."
“This is just the beginning — one of many murals that will soon grace our campus,” said Mesa College President Ashanti T. Hands. “While there are countless opportunities to fill our blank walls with eye-catching art, we are committed to thoughtfully selecting artwork and artists that infuse equity, excellence, belonging, and purpose into our diverse community and spaces. We are especially grateful to our alumnus, Andrew Alcasid, for creating this beautiful mural, which will inspire, uplift, and resonate with Mesa College students, employees, alumni and community members.”
Orchids, known for growing in almost every habitat on Earth, can be seen in many of Andrew’s artworks scattered throughout museums around San Diego.
“I went through testicular cancer, and orchid in Greek means testicle. So, I’m almost tied in that way by coincidence,” he shared. The flower has become his muse.
Andrew’s journey at Mesa College started in 2008, where he studied printmaking before transitioning into the Museum Studies program. He looks back
at his time on campus fondly, recalling the impact of the Fine Arts faculty and staff
members like Art Gallery Director Alessandra Moctezuma and Coordinator Jenny Armer.
According to Andrew, relationships he forged played a crucial role in his artistic
development and they continue to support him in his career.
Alessandra shared, “We envisioned this as an opportunity for a local emerging artist, and we liked that Andrew had attended Mesa College and took many of the art classes. It was an opportunity to highlight an alumnus and support them on their artistic path.”
The creation of the mural was a process fueled by Andrew's persistence and his connections within the Mesa College community. The recent completion of a mural he created at San Diego City College further enhanced his drive to commit to the Mesa College project. The mural didn’t come to life without its challenges including painting at heights and translating artwork from a sheet of paper to large scale. "Painting large is always fun for me," Andrew noted.
For Mesa College students wishing to pursue a career in the arts, Andrew advised making a clear decision on specific interests within the field.
“If it’s pursuing your own art, I would take the (museum studies) class anyways, because it gives a lot of insight into the process of how to get your art in the gallery,” he shared.
Andrew's successful career serves as inspiration to beginner artists who are looking to advance their craft and thrive in the professional art world. The support and opportunities available at Mesa College provide a strong foundation for aspiring artists to build upon.
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Tags: Mesa College Alumni, Mural, Fine Arts Building, Andrew Alcasid
Leslie Stump
Acting Public Information Officer
lstump@sdccd.edu
(619) 388-2759
San Diego Mesa College proudly introduces a new mural painted by alumnus Andrew Alcasid on the lower-level entrance of the Fine Arts building. As a graduate of the Museum Studies Program, Andrew brought his artistic vision full circle to the community that taught him the skills needed to excel as a working artist.
The DSPS Alumni at Work series reconnects with former SDCCD students who utilized Disability Support Programs and Services to help them navigate their journey from college to career. Today, we are excited to shine a spotlight on San Diego Mesa College graduate Taylor Carpenter.
San Diego, CA. – Thursday, October 5 at 4:00 p.m., the San Diego Mesa College Art Gallery presents an illuminating art exhibition that is inspired by the desire to find the ‘glimmers of grace’ in life. This exhibit gives everyone the opportunity to experience the work of, alumna Grace Gray- Adams, someone who has been curating her legacy since studying art in the 1960’s at Mesa College.
