![\""Bridging](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HR3CCG7QOJHSZO7KDIRBCQJIJY.jfif.jpeg\")
“Bridging the Gap”(TTU System\/Selena Mize)<\/p>\nLUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Now located on the second floor of the Bridwell Activities Center at Midwestern State University, the Student Success and Military Education Center serves as a dedicated hub for student support. The Military Education Center expands the space and services available to military-connected students by providing high-quality programs that deliver in-demand skills. The Student Success Center is designed to create an environment for academic success and personal enrichment through proactive and individualized success coaching services to students from their first semester through graduation.<\/p>\n
“Bridging the Gap”(TTU System\/Selena Mize)<\/p>\n
Located between these two meaningful Centers, \u201cBridging the Gap,\u201d a mural by artist Selena Mize and commissioned by the Texas Tech University System Public Art Program, is a vibrant visualization of the history, significance, and mission of the two programs, as well as the broader MSU Texas and Wichita Falls communities. Optimism and aspiration radiate from the central students, one of whom sports the MSU Texas logo and a \u201cfirst gen\u201d sticker. Representations of various U.S. military service members frame the work, determined and proud, an homage to those who will be among the users of this space. Around the piece are iconic regional symbols, including Texas wildflowers and representations of the nearby Sheppard Air Force Base. The base of the mural reads \u201cSPIRIT ALWAYS BOLD\u201d \u2014 the university\u2019s motto and a line from the MSU Texas Fight Song \u2014 words of courage and strength. At about 17 feet long and eight feet high, the work is an inspirational addition to the Student Success and Military Education Center.<\/p>\n
Within this work are hand-mixed colors created by the artist specifically for \u201cBridging the Gap.\u201d In a sense, Mize\u2019s bespoke colors reflect the uniquely tailored experience available to each student who enters the Student Success and Military Education Center.<\/p>\n
At the start of the project, the TTU System Public Art Program sought a professional artist with ties to the region and\/or MSU Texas. The desired concept shared with artist applicants included showcasing the importance of both the Military Education Center and the Student Success Center, while considering the many stories that can be shared in this space, such as the experiences of military members and first-generation students. The goal of the art installation is to serve as a welcoming beacon in the space and allow students to feel they are represented. Submitting artists would consider themes such as blending MSU Texas and Sheppard Air Force Base while also incorporating all branches of the military, and evoking pride in Wichita Falls.<\/p>\n
After a successful proposal, Mize was commissioned in Fall 2025 and began work in Spring 2026. She officially completed \u201cBridging the Gap\u201d in late June 2026.<\/p>\n
The TTU System public art process was collaborative from start to finish, working with university leadership and representatives from the Student Success and Military Education Center. Sheppard Air Force Base representatives generously offered their time to meticulously review elements ranging from badges and uniforms to sideburn length, ensuring alignment with military branches and uniform norms.<\/p>\n
While the TTU System Public Art Collection has many tile murals, including Peter Tonningsen and Lisa Levine\u2019s \u201cBridging Localities,\u201d Mize\u2019s mural is only the second painted mural in the almost thirty-year-old collection, following Peter Hurd\u2019s 1954 rotunda piece, \u201cPioneer Mural,\u201d which was accessioned into the collection after the Public Art Program was established in 1998.<\/p>\n
Through this original and site-specific mural, Mize successfully celebrates the history and future of the Student Success and Military Education Center.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2026 KCBD. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Now located on the second floor of the Bridwell Activities Center at Midwestern State…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":371372,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[447,319,36707,66,168,22565,111802,223,131532,131533,27,29,28,873,131531,7114],"class_list":["post-371371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-texas","tag-community","tag-kcbd","tag-kjtv","tag-local","tag-lubbock","tag-midwestern-state-university","tag-msu-texas","tag-news","tag-public-art-collectiong","tag-selena-mize","tag-texas","tag-texas-headlines","tag-texas-news","tag-texas-tech-university","tag-ttu-system","tag-wichita-falls"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371371","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=371371"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371371\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/371372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=371371"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=371371"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=371371"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}