The year of celebration has begun as Los Medanos College commemorates its service to students and the greater community for 50 years. This milestone coincides with the Contra Costa Community College District’s 75th anniversary in honoring the District and sister colleges, CCC and DVC.
To mark its 50th year, LMC has created a unique anniversary logo and planned events throughout the year to recognize its progress since its opening in 1974. Additionally, an anniversary committee will be created to promote community outreach in collaboration with the LMC Foundation to provide future opportunities for the college.
One of the first gatherings this year is the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards. Following his legacy, community leaders, members and students will be honored in recognition of their work in civil rights, social justice and equality.
“Using the new logo across most of our campuswide and community events help our partners, neighbors, students, alumni and donors recognize our rich history and transformative influence,” said Juliet V. Casey, Director of Marketing and Media Design.
When creating the logo, Graphic Designer David Valencia’s goal was to encapsulate aspects of “LMC’s amazing past, present, and future.” Working alongside the Marketing and Media Design Department, they began researching and collaborating with long-term staff to understand the college’s history.
Three logo variations were created and presented to the President’s Cabinet and Council as well as the Foundation’s interim program manager for constructive feedback. Slight variations were made, and then the graphic was narrowed down to two options. It was later shown to LMC employees during the Opening Day program held in late January.
Casey notes an interactive voting system helped decide the one in favor among all in attendance, “including cheers at the end of the vote” to mark the finalized logo seen today.
Valencia notes his process toward designing the final version involved multiple attempts at the drawing board. Initially, after creating the first logo samples, he felt something was missing.
“After some overthinking, I thought, ‘I have to incorporate the previous LMC logo’ and I think that’s when the idea came to life,” Valencia said. “I designed another set of samples, but now including the previous LMC logo, and finally it started making more sense while keeping its simplicity and impact.”
The gold design captures the college’s longevity and incorporates aspects of the past and present. A stylized compass rose found in the center of the logo spells LMC in different directions, a retired sentimental mark of LMC’s brand representing “its mission to help students find their future.” In the looping five and zero of the 50, a touching inner golden circle “conveys the infinite search for knowledge and truth, and unwavering service for the greater good,” as written by Casey in the college’s press release on the anniversary graphic.
Today, the college provides 90 diverse program offerings and has expanded its resources with the recently developed Brentwood Center. As well, LMC’s collective success was recognized for the fifth consecutive time as one of the top 150 Community Colleges in the U.S.
“Over the past five decades, LMC has grown and adapted to the needs of our students and the greater community,” President Pamela Ralston said. “Looking ahead to the next 50 years, we are focused on continuing this legacy with our alumni leading, innovating and shaping a sustainable and equitable future for generations to come.”
