After sitting in storage for years, a mural painted by Delta art students long ago is once again providing inspiration for countless others.

The mural, about 8 feet high and 20 feet long, was recently mounted outside the ESL lab in the Holt Center where it almost literally illuminates the pathway to a better life.

The bright and vibrant mural had previously hung in the Cunningham Center until that building was torn down in 2014.

Art Professor Mario Moreno, whose students painted the mural more than a decade ago, said the new location is ”premiere.”

“It’s a joy to see,” he said. “I like to sit there sometimes and watch students come up the stairs. You can see a smile come on their faces. Almost like the mural is talking to them.”

The mural was purposefully designed to inspire, Moreno said. An open book draws attention to the center, symbolizing the knowledge that Delta makes available to all. An eye represents the need for students to hold onto their vision of what their lives might become. A thick forest reminds them that none of this will be easy.

“We wanted the students to come away with the sense that it was going to be a challenge finishing what they started,” Moreno said, “but if they work hard they can accomplish anything. They can succeed.”

It took nearly two semesters for his former students to finish the mural. The new placement ensures it will be seen and enjoyed for many more semesters to come.