Mercer unveils mural celebrating beauty of Macon campus

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Penny Elkins talks in front of mural that reads, "Hey Mercer, you're beautiful."
Mercer University Executive Vice President Dr. Penny Elkins talks during the mural unveiling on Jan. 9, 2025, in the University Center. Photo by Leah Yetter

Next time you’re in the University Center, stop and snap a photo with Mercer University’s new mural celebrating the beauty of the Macon campus. The University unveiled the artwork on Jan. 9. 

The 8-foot-by-8-foot mural, located across from Chick-fil-A in the UC, showcases iconic Mercer architecture, including the R. Kirby Godsey Administration Building, Newton Hall and Tarver Library. The words, “Hey Mercer, you’re beautiful,” are boldly featured. 

“I love all of these beautiful historic buildings on our campus. But, oddly enough, when I saw this mural today, my favorite part was the bridge,” said Mercer Executive Vice President Dr. Penny Elkins, who led the unveiling. “When I was a student here, my major professor was named Dr. Bobby Jones. Dr. Jones always told us, ‘You must be bridge builders.’ Mercerians are bridge builders. We build bridges to the community. We build bridges domestically. We build bridges globally. 

“And that is what Mercer is all about. It’s not just about us, it’s about what we can do to impact our communities and this beautiful world.” 

The University commissioned Macon artist Erin Hawkins, owner of Mama Hawk Draws, to design and paint the mural. Mercer alumna Ashley Curtis, who graduated in 2024 with a major in graphic design, assisted in painting the mural. 

“This mural is a love letter to everything that makes Mercer special. The campus is gorgeous with the historic buildings and lush ground, but it’s also the students, faculty and staff who bring this place to life,” Hawkins said. “I designed this piece to remind everyone that Mercer’s beauty isn’t just in its architecture — it’s in you. 

“I hope this mural brings a smile to your face, inspires you to pause and maybe even snap a picture to celebrate just how incredible this community really is.”

 

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Jennifer Falk
Jennifer Falk is director of digital communications at Mercer. She edits and writes feature stories for The Den and examines web data and analytics to drive content decisions. She also creates and supervises the creation of content for primary University web pages and e-newsletters.