Hancock student Jonathan Villa, from left, and Fine Arts Instructor Tellef Tellefson, pose with an educational sign created and designed by Hancock students for the Jalama Campground at the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve. Courtesy photos.
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SANTA MARIA — Visitors to the Central Coast’s rugged coastline will soon have a new way to connect with its natural beauty, thanks to Allan Hancock College graphic design students who transformed science into art for the community.
tudents in Hancock’s art, graphic design and multimedia programs worked with the Nature Conservancy to create fun, informative signage for the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve in Lompoc.
A group of nine students in the college’s art, graphic design and multimedia programs teamed up with fine arts instructor Tellef Tellefson and staff from The Nature Conservancy’s Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve, located in Lompoc, to design interpretive signage for the Jalama Campground, located adjacent to the preserve.
“This project gave students a chance to see how their work could make a real impact in our community,” said Tellefson. “It also showed them how classroom lessons translate to real-world challenges, and gave them experience tackling a large, long-term project—learning how to collaborate, plan and problem-solve along the way.”
The project began as an independent study course in fall 2024 and continued through spring and summer 2025. Students conducted field trips to the preserve, where they combined hands-on research in ecology, biology, and geography with their classroom design skills to create visually engaging educational signs.
“Working on this project really built my confidence because we were tackling the kind of challenges you’d see in the design industry,” said Jonathan Villa, one of the Hancock students who worked on the project. “Things like communication, mock-ups, and presenting ideas. We had to set our own objectives and figure out what would go on the signage and how to design it.”
The finished signage, which highlights the unique natural features of Point Conception, was displayed at Hancock’s Fine Arts Complex from Aug. 18–26 before heading to its permanent home at Jalama Campground.
The Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve is a 24,000-acre nature reserve located at Point Conception in Santa Barbara County. The Dangermond Preserve, adjacent to Jalama Beach Campground, is a living laboratory that offers opportunities for conservation, scientific research and education.
“Partnering with Alan Hancock College faculty and students elevated this project to the next level. It became more than just designing interpretive signs – the process was collaborative, community-informed, and full of passion,” said Dangermond Preserve Outreach Manager Lorren Butterwick. “This multi-faceted process produced exceptional signs that will help the public learn about and care for the last-of-its-kind ecosystems that surround Jalama County Beach Park, including the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve.”
To learn more about the preserve, visit https://www.dangermondpreserve.org/.
To learn more about fine arts and other programs at Hancock, visit https://www.hancockcollege.edu/pathways