September 21, 2007 :: No. 40

As Janette L. Hyder watched artist Emigdio “Higgy” Vasquez Jr. put the finishing touches on a mural depicting the faces of civil and education rights leaders, her own dream was coming alive on the giant canvas.

“This mural is very close to my heart,” said Hyder, a counselor for Cal State Fullerton’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and originator of the mural project. “It truly represents hope for the future, and it’s a reminder of how I ended up at Cal State Fullerton.”

The EOP mural project, one of the university’s 50th anniversary “Golden Ideas,” reflects the struggles faced by students during the 1960s while fighting for civil rights and educational equity.

“With this mural, I just want to remind our students of what students before us fought for; I’m grateful to them for what they have given me and to others: the chance for a better and brighter future,” Hyder said.

The colorful mural will be unveiled Tuesday, Sept. 25, during a reception in the Titan Student Union. The 3-6 p.m. event is open to the community.

Life-size images of inspirational leaders, such as Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, Gonzalo and Felicitas Mendez, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., are featured on the mural, consisting of eight, 4-by-7-foot panels.

“We hope to educate the campus and community-at-large about the history and importance of EOP. The EOP mural and reception will build a strong sense of community for the campus and alumni who value EOP and the importance of maintaining diversity at Cal State Fullerton,” said Hyder, a Chicana and first-generation college graduate.

The California Legislature established EOP in 1969 as part of efforts to increase access to higher education and academic success and retention among the state’s educationally and economically disadvantaged students. In 2003, the Legislature declared September EOP Month in California.

“Without EOP, my life would be different today,” said Hyder, who grew up in South Gate and credits EOP with affording her the opportunity to attain a higher education. At CSUF, she earned a bachelor’s degree in 1997 with a double major in human services and ethnic studies with an emphasis in Chicano studies, as well as a master’s degree in 2000 in counseling.

“EOP opened the door for me. The program exposed me to a world of higher education that I knew nothing about. EOP has empowered me and has meant a lot to me.”

The mural will be permanently installed inside University Hall, on the walls next to the EOP Office.

The mural project was made possible with assistance from the Golden Ideas Initiatives and Robert Palmer, vice president for student affairs. The College of the Arts and volunteers from various campus organizations, including ArtCast, MEChA and the Links Mentoring Program, also contributed to making the mural a reality.

Higgy Vasquez, a percussionist and visual artist, and his father, well-known painter and muralist Emigdio Vasquez Sr., a CSUF and EOP alumnus (B.A. art ’78 and M.A. art ‘79), were commissioned to assist with the project. The elder Vasquez created the conceptual design, and his son is the lead painter of the project. Drawing and painting students Kerry Chavez and Loriann Hernandez led art student volunteer involvement. Jade Jewett, professor of art, oversaw the students’ work.

“This project has created a lot of excitement because of the size, scale and content of the mural,” Jewett said. “Students have had the opportunity to see how mural work is different from studio painting, how the images evolved from the artist’s original illustration, and how the process of involving the various departments on campus changed the final artwork.”

In recent weeks, the student artists and Higgy Vasquez have been working day and night to complete the project.

“I’m so excited to see this project come to fruition. The spirit and legacy of EOP will live on for future generations,” Hyder said.

For more information about the reception and unveiling, call 657-278-3488.

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