Teodora Tavares, Eva Davis and Anne Nobrega [Photo by Torie Doll, University Communications and Marketing]
By Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing
The colorful school banners lining the campus walkways immediately captured Teodora Tavares鈥� attention when she arrived at the 黑料爆料 in 2021.
鈥淚 wanted to know who designed those,鈥� said Tavares, who earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in advertising and public relations last year and is now pursuing a master鈥檚 in mass communications. 鈥淚 wanted to contribute something to USF too.鈥�
This semester, she did. Using her graphic design skills, Tavares created a new mural brightening the vending alcove at the Student Services building 鈥� one of four murals unveiled this semester, all designed by USF students as part of an initiative to showcase campus talent rather than outsource the work.
鈥淲e wanted artwork that reflected our campus culture,鈥� said Mercedes Cesin, assistant director of USF Auxiliary Services, which manages campus-based business operations and services and oversaw the initiative. 鈥淲ho knows the campus better than our students?鈥�
Teodora Tavares with her new mural brightening the vending alcove at the Student Services building [Photo by Torie Doll, University Communications and Marketing]
The student artists are interns with the USF Office of University Communications and Marketing and assist on a range of projects that help ensure the university鈥檚 message connects with its audiences.
Each mural was designed using Adobe Illustrator, printed on vinyl, and then installed at its location.
鈥淲hat they came up with is exactly the vibe we want for the campus,鈥� Cesin said. 鈥淭hey are student-friendly and vibrant.鈥�
Tavares was tasked with designing something that promoted both USF and the Coca-Cola branding present in the outdoor nook.
鈥淭he Coke colors don鈥檛 exactly scream USF,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut Sprite is a Coke brand, and it鈥檚 green 鈥� which is one of USF鈥檚 colors.鈥�
Her mural features stylized lemon and lime slices alongside bold green and gold leaves, arranged in a playful, geometric pattern that evokes Sprite鈥檚 crisp, citrus flavors. At the center, the university鈥檚 鈥渉orns up鈥� hand signal frames the phrase 鈥淪tay Refreshed in Bulls Country,鈥� tying the Coca-Cola brand to USF鈥檚 colors and campus spirit.
When Eva Davis looked at the Argos Center鈥檚 exterior wall, which needed brightening, she thought of ducks.
Eva Davis' at the Argos Center mural includes USF's beloved ducks [Photo by Torie Doll, University Communications and Marketing]
鈥淎rgos is known for the ducks that go right up to you and beg for food. All my USF friends have photos of those ducks eating their snacks,鈥� said Davis, who is working toward a bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing with a minor in arts. 鈥淚 thought it would be cool to include them鈥攁nd other school spirit Easter eggs鈥攊n my mural.鈥�
Davis鈥� creation comprises green and gold panels, each depicting something unique about the Argos Center: its food and drinks, a sign showing directions to nearby places, ducks and even squirrels.
鈥淭here are always squirrels on the picnic tables,鈥� she said with a laugh. 鈥淎nd I added a sign pointing to the library, The Village, and Castor Pond for freshmen who might be as lost as I was when I first got here.鈥�
Anne Nobrega designed the other two murals, both on exterior windows 鈥� one on the bookstore and the other on Juniper Hall.
At Juniper, the bold mural commands attention with the words, 鈥淔eed Your Inner Bull鈥� stretched across a backdrop of dynamic green gradients and dotted patterns. A powerful USF bull, muscles tensed and horns lowered, appears to leap forward, as if charging straight out of the wall toward passersby.
Anne Nobrega's USF Bookstore mural promotes campus nature [Photo by Torie Doll, University Communications and Marketing]
And her "Feed Your Inner Bull" mural adorns Juniper Hall [Photo by Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing]
At the USF Bookstore, the 鈥淲elcome to Bulls Country鈥� mural wraps visitors in a tropical embrace. Palm fronds, hibiscus flowers and lush greenery frame the text in shades of green and teal, evoking Florida鈥檚 vibrant landscape and the warm, energetic spirit of the USF campus.
Eva Davis, Teodora Tavares and Anne Nobrega [Photo by Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing]
鈥淚 want it to remind everyone how lucky we are to attend a college near the beach and surrounded by such beautiful nature,鈥� said Nobrega, who is earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in industrial engineering. 鈥淯SF鈥檚 colors are green, but so is everything around us.鈥�
The students finished their designs before leaving campus for the summer and workers installed the murals after they had gone. Each artist made a pilgrimage back to their artwork before moving any boxes into their residences.
鈥淚鈥檓 feeling really proud,鈥� Nobrega said. 鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful for this opportunity.鈥�
Davis called seeing her mural like 鈥渨inning the lottery. It鈥檚 a random event I never thought I鈥檇 experience.鈥�
And Tavares hopes that once freshmen learn student artists created these murals, they鈥檒l be as inspired as she was by the campus banners.
鈥淚t鈥檚 surreal to know so many people will see my work,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want to scream, 鈥楲ook at me, I made this 鈥� and so could all of you.鈥欌��