MARPLE TWP, PA — Five Delaware County Community College art students have completed a permanent mural at the college’s Marple Campus, transforming a hallway near the Learning Commons into a public display of student artwork developed before the Class of 2026 graduated.
The installation consists of five wooden panels depicting elements of nature, with individual works representing sea, soil, plants and trees, space, and air. The mural is displayed in the Academic Building, in the hallway connecting Founders Hall and the Academic Building.
The project originated with Lydia Kirkpatrick of Springfield, a Studio Art student who wanted her graduating class to leave a lasting contribution to the campus. She worked with fellow student Zoe Maldonado of Ridley to reorganize the college’s Art & Design Club and assemble a team of student artists.
The five participating artists were Kirkpatrick, Maldonado, Genny Evans of Drexel Hill, Jayson Hice of Aldan and Syreeta Dukes of Chester.
Kirkpatrick developed the concept after identifying an unused corner near the Learning Commons, the college’s library. With encouragement from Director of Campus Engagement Allyson Gleason, she approached the college’s facilities department about installing the artwork.
The proposal received support from facilities administrators, including Tony DeLuca, associate vice president of Facilities and Construction, who requested a plan for the installation.
Each artist took responsibility for a separate panel. Evans created the sea-themed artwork, Hice depicted soil, Dukes focused on plants and trees, Maldonado represented space, and Kirkpatrick designed the air panel.
The project was completed before graduation in May 2026, requiring the students to balance the mural with coursework and preparations for the college’s Associate of Fine Arts Graduation Exhibition.
“For me, the mural was an ode to DCCC and the time I had spent in the College’s art studios,” Maldonado stated.
Maldonado credited painting instructor Anthony Folks with changing her understanding of how artwork communicates ideas, particularly through the use of color.
Evans, who previously earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in other fields, enrolled at the college in 2024 to pursue a longstanding interest in fine art. She devoted approximately three to six hours a week to her portion of the mural.
Her sea-themed panel incorporates sharks and references to characters from popular entertainment, reflecting personal interests she wanted to include in the work.
Dukes, who hopes to become an illustrator, viewed the project as an opportunity to pursue creative work alongside her academic and family responsibilities.
Hice, who graduated in 2026 and now attends Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and Architecture, described the collaborative project as an extension of the support he received at the community college.
“Being a part of something larger brings a sense of unity and community, something that is very strong at DCCC,” Hice stated.
For Kirkpatrick, the final months of the project coincided with the death of her father from cancer during the spring semester.
“My community at DCCC really rallied for me,” she stated. “I was going through one of the worst phases of my life, but being able to smile and show up for everybody made me stronger.”
Kirkpatrick is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in art education at Kutztown University, where she received two years of tuition-free study through the 2026 All-Pennsylvania Academic Team.
She was among 26 community college students statewide selected for the award, which provides tuition assistance at universities within Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.
Kirkpatrick plans to become an art teacher while continuing to develop artwork incorporating recycled materials.
Other participating students are pursuing additional education or professional opportunities in the arts.
Maldonado, who earned an associate degree in Studio Art in 2026, was accepted into Moore College of Art’s Visionary Honors Program and plans to work for a year to accumulate additional tuition funds before transferring.
Dukes, also a 2026 Studio Art graduate, hopes to continue her education at Moore College of Art.
Evans, another 2026 graduate, is employed at Painting with a Twist while submitting artwork to galleries and pursuing acting opportunities.
The completed mural remains on display at the Marple Campus, providing a permanent record of the students’ collaboration and their contributions to the college’s arts program.
“To see the mural finally installed is a dream come true,” Kirkpatrick stated. “It is a testament to our little team of artists, who were determined to see it come to fruition.”
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