Alumni Spotlight: Ramon Orlando Trujillo III ’19

Creating Space, Telling Stories: How MSU Denver Helped Shape the Art and Career of Ramon Orlando Trujillo III

From left: Ramon Trujillo, Adrian Raya, Carlos Frésquez and Zach Armijo. Metropolitan State University of Denver unveils a vibrant new mural on its music studio building, home to the Department of Music, in the Santa Fe Arts District on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, in Denver. The event featured live mariachi music, student involvement, and an interactive QR code sharing the story and meaning behind the artwork as part of the monthly First Friday Art Walk. Photo by Polina Saran

For Ramon Orlando Trujillo III ‘19, art is more than expression, it’s livelihood, legacy, and connection to community. As a displaced Aurarian, Ramon was given the opportunity to attend college through paid tuition and could have chosen any institution. He chose Metropolitan State University of Denver, a decision that would shape both his artistic voice and his future. 

“I went to MSU Denver because it felt different,” Ramon says. “Less traditional. More real.” 

That difference mattered. As a commuter campus, MSU Denver brought together students of all ages, backgrounds, and life experiences. For Ramon, that diversity created an environment where learning felt grounded and authentic, mirroring the communities he would later serve through his art. 

Ramon earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts, discovering along the way that creativity, not math or traditional coursework, was where he thrived. His favorite class, Intermediate Painting with Carlos Fresquez, became a defining experience. “Great professor,” Ramon says simply, crediting that mentorship with helping him sharpen both his technical skill and artistic confidence. 

Outside the classroom, the Auraria Library became a second home, offering study spaces, resources, and quiet corners to think, rest, and create. “I miss the long study nights on campus,” he reflects. “That feeling of learning.” 

Since graduating, Ramon has put his degree directly to work. He has installed more than 20 murals across the Denver metro area and beyond, sold work to public and private collections, and supported his family through his art. When commissions slow, he works alongside his father and brother in their commercial and residential painting business, blending craft, creativity, and resilience. 

“I owe a lot of who I am as an artist to my formal education,” Ramon says. “MSU Denver gave me the tools-physically, mentally, and emotionally—to pursue this rugged career path.” 

Ramon’s journey reflects the heart of MSU Denver’s mission: providing access to education that empowers students to turn passion into purpose, creativity into career, and community into canvas. Through his murals, Ramon doesn’t just create art—he creates space for stories, culture, and connection to live in the city he calls home. 

And he’s just getting started.