UT Tyler Unveils Painted Mural Dedicated to Honors College

September 6, 2024 | Hannah Buchanan

The University of Texas at Tyler recently unveiled a full hallway mural dedicated to the UT Tyler Honors College. The work is a celebration of inquiry and the discovery of knowledge, which are vital concepts within the college.

“The Honors College moved to our new space in the summer of 2023, and we wanted to make sure to connect with the space and help people feel wonder and welcome when they think of the Honors College,” said Dr. Paul Streufert, UT Tyler Honors College founding dean. “The provost was very encouraging and supportive of the mural project, and we are so excited to have it finished.”

Hayley Jasper of Hawkins, a UT Tyler senior and Honors College scholar majoring in psychology and criminal justice, painted the piece. The project, which began last October, took Jasper roughly 11 months to complete.

“Hayley has been creating and competing in the art world since she was in middle school, and she
was a natural fit to head up the Honors College mural project,” said Streufert. “Hayley is graduating
this fall, and we are thankful that she was able to take the time to complete this huge project,
despite the demands on her time.”

Several “Easter eggs” and important symbols representing the Honors College, such as books and
an Aristotle bust, are also featured.

“My main source of inspiration behind the mural design was the concept of passing down
knowledge, like you do with old, well-loved books,” Jasper said. “Honors is all about passing
knowledge around and finding ways to have intellectually stimulating conversations, so I wanted
the mural to represent and convey that. Every aspect included in the mural has some form of
meaning to Honors students.”

The mural also celebrates the idea that reading and conversation are central to the college,
Streufert added.

“As Hayley has painted the mural over the last year, so many people have stopped to ask her
questions or comment on her work,” he said. “That interaction and connection is vital to the
mission of the Honors College, and we are grateful to have such a beautiful piece of art in our
hallway to generate conversation.”

UT Tyler’s Honors College provides specialized content and programming for high-achieving and
intellectually curious students at the university. Academically, the college emphasizes small, unique
courses with engaged faculty and rigorous undergraduate research. For more information, visit
uttyler.edu/honors/.

With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT
Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to nearly 10,000 students.
Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has
unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent
patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World
Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.