Visit Westerville

Albert Exendine Mural

Information Coming Soon

By Artist Zach Cardoza

Mural Location: Cowan Hall at Otterbein University | 30 S. Grove Street                                                                                                                         Located on the South wall of Cowan Hall off W. Park St.

Details for this mural are on the way. Check back soon to learn more about the artist, inspiration, and story behind this installation.

Zach Cardoza is a professionally trained artist with over a decade of experience, grounded in classical fine art traditions and driven by curiosity around material and process. After studying Fine Art at Northwest College in Wyoming, he built a strong foundation in drawing, painting, sculpture, and pastels; skills that continue to shape his work today.

Now based in Columbus, Zach’s practice has evolved to incorporate both traditional and nontraditional materials, ranging from graphite and pastel to thread, yarn, and wool, allowing the medium itself to guide each piece. His work bridges classical technique with contemporary experimentation and has been featured in the Ohio Arts Council Spring Juried Selection and other publications, reflecting a thoughtful balance of structure and innovation.

Learn more about Zach at zachcardozaart.com

Albert A. Exendine was an enrolled citizen of the Delaware tribe from Oklahoma. He attended the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania, running track and playing tight end on the football team. He coached football at Otterbein from 1909 through 1911, giving them a 17-7-3 record. He was 25.

In 1912, Exendine was called back to Pennsylvania to train Jim Thorpe, a younger classmate from Carlisle, in preparation for Thorpe’s gold-medal pentathlon and decathlon at the 1912 Olympics. Exendine continued coaching; he gave Georgetown University eight seasons without a losing record. He earned his law degree in from Dickinson College, practicing law on behalf of tribal rights in Oklahoma and eventually going to work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Exendine earned the “Indian of the Year” award from the Council of American Indians in 1968 and was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1970.