Alum’s art showcased on new SF State water bottle

Artist and alumnus Jordan Herren stands in from of painting that he made that hangs in SF State's Administration building while holding a water bottle he illustrated.

For the third year in a row, San Francisco State University welcomed the campus community to a new academic year with colorful, reusable aluminum water bottles — a subtle way of signaling that single-use plastic bottles are not welcome on campus. This year, for the first time, an alumnus is responsible for the artwork on the water bottle.

“Hopefully, people will want to hang on to these bottles because of the dymanic design,” said San Francisco State Associate Vice President of Alumni Relations and University Engagement Nicole Lange. “And it’s a bonus that the design was created by an alumnus.”

Lange’s responsible for the initial partnership with PATH, the company behind these customizable water bottles. She also approached artist Jordan Herren (B.A., ’13) about the project. Herren works in marketing but creates murals and paintings in his spare time. His work can be found across San Francisco, including at iconic places like the Ferry Building, the SF State campus and his high school in Daly City. His signature style is energetic and optimistic, he says, and it’s in this style that he captured SF State’s skyline for the water bottle.

This isn’t the first time his art was featured at the University. In 2022, he created a colorful painting of the San Francisco skyline during a staff appreciation event to welcome back employees following quarantine. It hangs in the first floor of the Administration building.

SF State Senior AVP and Chief Information Officer Nish Malik (from left), Director of Sustainability and Energy Caitlin Steele, artist Jordan Herren and Presidential Aide Victor Javier Aguilar hand out water bottles to students on SF State's Quad.

Herren’s been making art since he was a kid but pursued a more practical path at SF State. He studied marketing, the creative side of business, he says. Despite having a lot of “love for SF State,” he admits he wasn’t the best student. “The drive was there, though.” His degree has ultimately served him well — he now works in marketing at PG&E. During the pandemic, he tried to work full time as an artist. With a baby on the way, he appreciates the stability of his current role, he says.

The San Francisco native is happy to have side projects, especially for his alma mater. “Something about SF State resonates with me. It’s a very outspoken, free-speech school. I feel like that carries the spirit of someone from San Francisco,” he said. “I take pride in being a Gator.”

The reusable water bottle is part of SF State’s overall zero-waste goal, says SF State Director of Sustainability and Energy Caitlin Steele. “This is an ambitious long-term goal, but every step counts,” she said. “We hope by giving students free and reusable water bottles that they will use them throughout the year. We hope this helps students save money by not buying disposable water bottles and helps us generate less waste on campus.”

Part of that zero-waste goal means phasing out the sale of single-use plastic water bottles, which the University has accomplished. To make that transition easier, the University handed out 25,000 SF State water bottles and plans to distribute 25,000 more over the next two years.

Since 2019, the University has not only cut plastic bottle sales entirely but decreased the number of reusable bottles sold. In March of 2019, SF State sold 4,205 plastic bottles. In March of 2024, the University sold 755 aluminum bottles and no plastic bottles. The data show that the aluminum water bottles are most likely getting reused, according to the University. 

This is just one of the many sustainability initiatives underway at SF State. Curious about the University’s ongoing sustainability efforts? Read SF State’s recently released Climate Action Plan at sustain.sfsu.edu.