The second floor of UMSU University Centre was recently decorated with a mural that serves as a beacon of inspiration and community spirit.

This mural, soon to be replicated at the Bannatyne campus and William Norrie Centre in the upcoming weeks, is a vibrant embodiment of the university’s strategic plan 2024-29 known as MomentUM: Leading Change Together.

Community collaboration: A mural that speaks volumes

In April, faculty, staff and students were asked to contribute to a community mural by answering the prompt, “my UM will be …”.

The prompt received nearly 200 responses, which ranged from expressions of inclusivity and opportunity to messages in Hindi and Ojibwe. It also included a response from the four witnesses from the university’s Indigenous community, which reads kweyask-tetotamak, meaning, “to do the right thing” in Cree.

The painting and design of the mural was a collaborative effort between students from the school of art and the university’s strategic marketing communications team. It has the bison as its focal point, representing the university’s strength, determination and leadership, according to UM Today. Diane Hiebert-Murphy, the U of M’s provost and vice-president (academic) said that “this new mural brings to life the vision of our vibrant community to be a university of positive change in our province and the world.

I hope it will inspire people as they see it and remind them of the goals we established together.”

For more information about the university’s strategic plan 2024-29, visit umanitoba.ca/strategic-plan.