The Kerr-Pegula Field House now features a new mural which was unveiled during Purple and Gold week. The mural is commemorative of the first 50 years of Houghton College intercollegiate athletics, a focal point of this years Homecoming festivities. According to Jason Mucher, Associate Athletic Director for Communication & Compliance, the project began in the spring of 2016 when Karl Sisson, Vice President for Advancement, brought up the idea of a mural.
Throughout the summer, Mucher worked on creating a list of memorable events in Houghton athletics history beginning in 1967, and with the help of alumni, 100 moments were collected. From there, the list was trimmed to 50 moments to match the 50 year timeline of intercollegiate athletics. After narrowing down those events and inspiration from another institution’s postcard design, Mucher moved his focus to the college archives in the library and the files in the athletics office. Mucher searched for images to fit these events and eventually chose photos to go on the mural.
After accumulating all the images and ideas for a design, Amy Tetta, Social Media Coordinator and Graphic Designer for the college, went to work on sorting through the photos Mucher had sent. Tetta said she “wanted to capture the energy and action she was looking for in the mural with usable quality in the photos as well.”
As the design came together, Mucher and Tetta decided six larger images with athletes representing each of the past six decades would be the most effective display for the mural. They decided to add more detail with smaller images, and a written timeline of the events over the years to be able to read as one approached the mural. “We tried to represent every sport and did our best to choose athletes, coaches and teams that were great representatives of Houghton athletics,” said Mucher.
With the addition of designer Brandon Rush’s 50th anniversary logo, a color palette that best accented the purple and Gold theme in the field house, and the generosity of alumni donors, the mural was ready to replace the white wall it had once been.
Executive Director of Athletics, Coach Harold “Skip” Lord, said, “This mural will give us a permanent reminder that what we do each day as intercollegiate athletes and coaches is just a part of a long history, going back to the purple and gold era, of people committed to excellence for the glory of God and who desire to make a Kingdom difference of those they play with, against and in front of.”
The mural, visible from nearly every point on the main level of the field house, is now open for public viewing.