A small room about the size of a classroom showcased artifacts saved from San Diego Mesa College, celebrating its 60th anniversary.
Slow music played as students heard names being called from a past graduation in a recording on a projector. Located nearby was a journal for current students to write in, which will be saved for the future of the college.
The walls were plastered with wallpaper made up of old Mesa Press newspapers, photographs and art pieces from the college’s past.
Included in the San Diego Mesa College 60th Anniversary Exhibit was a sign promoting the first annual pow-wow in 1992, an old projector, a polaroid camera from 1970, a plaque honoring the women’s water polo team’s 2015 state championship and the very first print issue of the then-daily student newspaper, “The Daily Olympian,” dated Jan. 10, 1968.
Mesa’s designated 60th anniversary website also showcases then-and-now photos for students to compare what campus looked like when it first opened as a college in 1964 and what it looks like now. It also includes a timeline highlighting notable events that happened with the college in each decade.
Some highlights on the timeline include the football team’s three conference titles in the 1960s, alumni Arnie Robinson’s gold medal in the long jump in the 1976 Olympics, Rosa Parks’ first visit to the college in 1992 and the school’s millions in funding earned in the 2000’s.
Some items were interactive, like an old Mesa Press newspaper dated April 13, 1998, and a laptop showcasing albums from Mesa College’s past on its Flickr account, which is also available for anyone on the internet to see.
“This was an idea that came from a committee that helped plan a series of events for Mesa College’s 60th anniversary, and we’ve had them throughout the whole year of 2024,” Leticia Diaz said, who was part of the group that put together the exhibit.
Each item was either saved by the school or brought in to be included by alumni, past and current teachers and other employees of the school. Mesa College had never held any exhibit to honor an anniversary of its opening in 1964.
Students received free items when they visited the exhibit that included tote bags, stickers and pins adorned with the school’s 60th anniversary logo during the opening week.
The exhibit was part of a year-long celebration of Mesa College’s history with the final events coming up: the Faculty Panel Event on Thursday, Sept. 19, an alumni panel for Homecoming/Spirit and Alumni Week in the fall and the Mesa Foundation Spirit of Mesa Gala on Friday, Oct. 25. More information about these events can be found on the 60th Anniversary website.
The exhibit was originally scheduled from Sept. 9-13 but it was extended for a second week beginning Sept. 16 through Friday, Sept. 20 in the Mesa Commons conference room, MC-151, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will close at 1 p.m. on the final day, Sept. 20.
