Seminole State alumna designs mural for Orlando City Soccer Club

On Wednesday, May 30, in the north concourse, beneath the supporter’s section at Orlando City Stadium, Orlando City Soccer Club unveiled its new mural, which was uniquely designed by Seminole State College of Florida alumna Danielle Schwiegerath-Head.

Late last year, Seminole State and Orlando City partnered to launch a mural contest, which provided Seminole State students the opportunity to submit designs to be incorporated into a mural at Orlando City Stadium. 

Representatives of Orlando City used the following criteria to judge contest submissions: Club brand aesthetic; incorporation and equal representation of both Orlando City and Orlando Pride; and general artistic direction. In the end, Schwiegerath-Head came out on top as the winner.

Schwiegerath-Head was born with congenital hearing loss, and as an 18-month-old baby, she became deaf. She went through middle school without any interpreters or knowing how to communicate in sign language. In high school, she learned American Sign Language and exceled academically, graduating with a standard high school diploma. According to her mother, Cathy Marshall, Schwiegerath-Head was told by many that her future and earning potential was grim and her career choices would be limited to the service industry, but she pressed on. Her interest in designing, drawing, painting and sculpting eventually led her to enroll at Seminole State in Fall 2012.

Over the past few years, Schwiegerath-Head’s graphic artwork and sculptures have been featured in several Seminole State art exhibits, and in May, she graduated with her Associate in Science (A.S.) degree in Digital Design. Since her graduation, the 32-year-old mother of two has designed flyers for a nonprofit, wedding announcements and business cards to include her own photography. Her career goal is to be a small business owner, integrating her talents in computer graphics and photography.

Schwiegerath-Head’s design was painted by local artist, Alejandro “Revel” Ruiz. Revel is a renowned live speed artist, whose work has been displayed all over the world.

“When I saw my design painted into a mural for the first time, I was speechless,” said Schwiegerath-Head. “The piece came out exactly as I designed it. … I am thankful to my graphic design professors and my family for seeing my talents and motivating me to continue to work hard and pursue my passion for designing.”

Michael Kappers, professor and program manager of digital media at Seminole State, incorporated the contest into his curriculum, making it one of his class projects.

“Danielle is a very talented designer,” said Kappers. “I have seen her work mature in a very short time. After witnessing Danielle’s excitement at the unveiling and watching her work go from a 23-inch screen to a 40-foot wall, my pursuit of live project-based learning was reinforced. … I am thankful to Orlando City Soccer Club for providing an opportunity for our students to design projects that can be seen by the public. These live projects are an important part of a student’s portfolio. It also shows potential employers that our students are engaged in the community and design competitions.”

Schwiegerath-Head’s success isn’t just being celebrated at Seminole State. 

“We couldn't be happier for Danielle to be the winner of this contest,” said Callum  Shepherd of Orlando City. “Danielle has a powerful story, with an unmatched determination to beat the odds and prove narrow perspectives wrong. She fully deserves this, and we couldn't be happier for her and her family.”