Did you know Orange Coast College is prominent in the City Seal of Costa Mesa? OCC began five years before the City of Costa Mesa was incorporated in 1953. The city leaders wanted a seal, and one of the council members approached an area sign maker to design something. The Council wished to represent the importance of education, farming, and the ocean activities industry to the area. With the generous help of Mary Ellen Goodard from the Costa Mesa Historical Society, she located the language of the City Council decision from July 1953 that said the design was by L.W. Pierce from "more than a score of suggestions." In the speech of the decision, it said, "top center of the seal features the library building at Orange Coast College…" Mary Ellen also found a transcription of an old interview from an original City Council member who said that he asked a local sign painter to design something that had Orange Coast in the center and that would reflect the importance the city had of being an educational center. The sign painter, Forrest Paull, said he was not good with design but recommended talking to L.W. Pierce, a local artist. Mr. Pierce and his family have lived in Costa Mesa since 1944.
The library building at the center is the first building OCC built in 1951 with our first bond. Featured prominently is the clock tower, which is still operational today. Two graduates are facing OCC, ready to face the future. Vanguard University moved from Pasadena to Costa Mesa in 1950 – originally Southern California Bible College.
Note: The banner in the center, "City of the Arts," was added in 1999 to reflect the City logo, which was added in 1884.
