GODFREY – A new interactive mural now greets visitors to the McPike Math and Science Complex at Lewis and Clark Community College (LCCC).
The work, unveiled during a commencement pre-party in May, is the work of LCCC Graphic Design student Avalon Eales. The design was selected by a campus and community vote held online this spring. When she discovered she won, Eales couldn’t contain her excitement.
“I had to call my whole family and tell them I had been chosen,” she said. “It was a super memorable moment for me.”
Eales, the daughter of Greg and Francesca Eales of Glen Carbon, is a 2021 Edwardsville High School graduate. Her entry was inspired by her journey through college.
“I realized how my life was going to be affected by my decisions,” Eales said. “Lewis and Clark gave me the opportunity to create my own pathway. I wanted to show how the main building has stayed strong through the years, despite all the changes to campus.”
As a student tasked with funding her own education, Eales said it was important to make good choices.
“I had to make the right financial decision for me,” she said. “I haven’t regretted choosing Lewis and Clark one bit. I enjoy all the classes, clubs and people.”
Eales is a graphic designer and cartoonist for The Bridge, LCCC’s student-run newspaper. She is also a member of the Gardening Club and Phi Theta Kappa honor society.
“I’ve always had a love for digital and traditional art,” she said. “I chose graphic design, not only because it was my favorite, but because it runs in my family as well.”
She credits her father for her creativity and work ethic.
“He’s a very hard worker with a lot of creativity,” she said. “He is an animator and does a lot of the same things I do. He inspires me to keep doing my own thing and to stay motivated.”
Her goal is to earn an Associate in Applied Science in Graphic Design and a Certificate of Completion in Animation from LCCC, then transfer to a four-year school to complete her bachelor’s degree and forge a career in graphic design.
For more information on LCCC’s Graphic Design program, contact Louise Jett at 618-468-4613 or ljett@lc.edu, or visit the Graphic Design program website at www.lc.edu/graphic-design.