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Now More Than Ever Times of rapid change and growing uncertainty call for the leadership of artists and designers.
RISD students thrive in the unknown. Creative impulses derive from new solutions or perspectives that evolve by utilizing processes that students learn at RISD. Studio assignments challenge students to express complex ideas, explore different ways of making and reframe questions to generate inventive solutions to vexing challenges. Our Liberal Arts classes teach students how to confront and contextualize new ideas and to question assumptions that might otherwise impede the essential nature of building new knowledge. This realm of uncertainty is where artists and designers have inordinate influence. Unlike people trained in practices that derive from more linear thinking, artists and designers produce bold outcomes from uncertainty. RISD as an institution is charting the unknown as it adjusts its educational model to bring students back on campus safely. Our faculty and staff have reconfigured learning spaces, pedagogy and technology integration. Some of what we have learned through COVID-19 pandemic adaptations will resonate in new learning forms and opportunities long after this current crisis has abated. We are at our core a creative learning institution, and to be such requires constant growth and reevaluation of our structures, systems and methods. The pandemic and ongoing incidences of horrific police violence perpetrated against Black citizens have taught us that RISD must do more. Our students demand and deserve nothing less. We are confronting and beginning to dismantle systems of injustice and inequality built into our social and educational constructs. These changes are immediately reshaping our curricula and our student experience. This fall there is already a range of new courses and programs, and we have committed to searches for additional faculty who will bring new areas of expertise in anti-racism and decolonialization in arts and design.
We are equipped to meet the dual challenges of the pandemic and systemic racism precisely because we are a community of artists and designers. We know how to employ self-critique, and how to use our values and creativity to build a better RISD. By doing so, we demonstrate every day the enduring value of an art and design education. Just as we know RISD must change, we know that systemic racism, climate crisis and societal injustices require deep and lasting change. Increasingly, artists and designers are at the forefront of leading these changes, illuminating these problems through their work and developing creative solutions to improve lives. Thank you for your generous engagement with RISD. I am grateful that you are on this journey of reinvention with us. ROSANNE SOMERSON 76 PRESIDENT
(c) Cary Wolinsky, Trillium Studio
In this issue, all photos of people who are not wearing masks were taken before the COVID-19 pandemic or were taken from an appropriate distance outside—following public health guidelines.
Generosity in Challenging Times Thank you for showing RISD students you have their backs when they need it most. 4
As RISD and its students faced daunting financial challenges triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the RISD community stepped up in a big way.
188
FIRST-TIME DONORS
Despite the economic upheaval around the world, our donors delivered RISD’s second-best fundraising year in its history, with $15.8 million in gifts to financial aid.
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DONORS INCREASED THEIR GIVING IN FY20 BY A TOTAL OF NEARLY $500,000
516
RISD TOGETHER CHALLENGE DONORS
$5.01m RISD FUND GIFT TOTAL—
THE LARGEST IN RISD FUND HISTORY
$24.7m RAISED IN FY20
Figures are for the period of July 1, 2019–June 30, 2020.
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Thinking Critically about Design
Recipient of the Fred M. Roddy Foundation Fellowship
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Thanks to her fellowship, Katrina Machado is exploring how design can better understand, care and empathetically serve people.
Katrina Machado MID 21 gained her appreciation of handson making from her parents, who immigrated to the United States from the Azores, Portugal. “Growing up, I watched them figure out how to fix things and they often showed me as well. We built fences, replaced the siding on our house and reupholstered furniture. These experiences made me value making skills and increased my curiosity,” she says.
Her undergraduate studies in international relations also lead her to explore politics, culture, history and gender in her creative practice. “I received a Graduate Commons Grant this summer, which has funded some of my recent work exploring craft of the Azores and my own family’s immigration experience,” she says. Larger support for her studies has come through the Fred M. Roddy Foundation Fellowship and the Materials Fund. “Financial aid allows me to focus on my creative work. I’m not sure I would have been brave enough to take on this experience without the financial help.”
Growing up in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, gave her the chance to take Pre-College courses offered by RISD Continuing Education that sparked her interest in studying here. “I almost attended RISD for undergrad,” she recalls. “I was accepted, but I was not quite ready to commit to an arts and design education.”
“I also work multiple jobs and assistantships, which pay for monthly expenses, and my assistantships have provided new learning experiences. I have had the opportunity to be a teaching assistant in the Azores and on campus, work in the Industrial Design woodshop, tutor at the Center for Arts & Language and experiment with color and wood with faculty,” she says. “These experiences have made me feel more connected to RISD and have developed my interests outside the classroom.”
“After working a few years after college as an editorial print graphic designer, I found myself itching to work more with my hands and to think more critically and deeply about design,” recalls Machado. “I was attracted to RISD’s Industrial Design program because it focused on craft and making. It also emphasized important thematic subjects like sustainability and health.” Learning remotely this spring redirected much of Machado’s work as she had to make and iterate with limited supplies and equipment. Some of her projects have focused on users with food allergies, immigration experiences and children learning science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) skills. “I get excited by projects and systems that address big picture change from new angles,” she says. “During my thesis year, I’m interested in more deeply pursuing design research focused on engaging underserved communities.”
“During my thesis year, I’m interested in more deeply pursuing design research focused on engaging underserved communities.”
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Channeling Life Experiences
Recipient of the Seth MacFarlane Endowed Scholarship
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Financial aid offers Abenda Sohn the opportunity to forge his creative path. “I can see both sides—my Liberian and American—and how both of these sides play a huge part in my cultural life,” says Abenda Sohn 22 IL. “My family reminds me that I can accomplish anything in this world and I should not let any obstacle stop me.”
people were more open to having dialogues and getting to know one another. We will all learn new things and grow by being more open to each other.” But, he’s also been buoyed by more supportive members of the RISD community. “I have met some of the most helpful and caring teachers, who have helped me develop as a human being and inspire the artist that I am becoming,” he says.
“In my practice, I am very interested in the barriers that African Americans face in society and work to address my feelings of frustration and confusion about these issues in 2-D and 3-D. By channeling my personal life experiences and memories through a cultural and historical lens, I am exploring the recesses of thought and creativity to generate a unique avenue of artmaking.”
Receiving the Seth MacFarlane Endowed Scholarship, established by Seth MacFarlane 95 FAV, is another important support. “It has given me the strength to believe that anything is possible. I can go to bed knowing that someone cares about me and wants to see me prosper,” he says.
Sohn was drawn to art early, feeling compelled to draw and be expressive. He kept a sketchbook and shared it with a high school teacher who suggested he apply to Project Open Door, RISD’s program advancing social equity and access for teens attending public and charter high schools in Rhode Island’s urban core. An important part of the program’s mission is to prepare these students to apply to college.
“By channeling my personal life experiences and memories through a cultural and historical lens, I am exploring the recesses of thought and creativity to generate a unique avenue of artmaking.”
Since enrolling at RISD in the fall of 2018, Sohn has been disappointed by some of what he has found. “Coming from an inner-city high school where I had a diverse group of teachers and friends, I struggle at RISD because I don’t see a reflection of myself in my department. There are not enough people of color in Illustration, and it is difficult at times to connect with teachers and other students the way I would hope,” he says. “I wish more
Although he found the transition to remote learning last semester to be challenging, Sohn adds, “In these times of uncertainty, this financial aid gives me hope and reassurance that everything will work out fine.”
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Bouncing Back
Recipient of the Susan W. Dryfoos and JRS Dryfoos Charitable Lead Trust Endowed Scholarship
Susan W. Dryfoos and JRS Dryfoos Charitable Lead Trust Endowed Scholarship
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Scholarship support ensures Denni Zhao can resume her studies after taking a leave due to family illness.
Denni Zhao 21 PT has a family who is close-knit and supportive. Her parents and sister immigrated to the United States from China in 1990, and the family made their home in Plano, Texas. When her sister struggled a bit with her creative homework assignments, her parents took action.
year so I could focus on helping her and care for my mental health,” she says. Her perseverance has been bolstered by the support she receives. Emerita Trustee Susan Dryfoos P 01 established the Susan W. Dryfoos and JRS Dryfoos Charitable Lead Trust Endowed Scholarship, which supports Zhao’s studies this year. “I cannot express how grateful and thankful I am. Receiving financial aid has allowed me to complete my studies and pursue my dreams of being a professional painter,” she says. “The support I receive from RISD is deeply cherished. I hope that someday I can provide similar aid to someone in my situation.”
“They enrolled me in art classes at age six because they wanted to make school assignments easier for me. They had no idea that I would end up spending even more time on my artwork than my sister. I loved it so much!” she says. Her passion for art continued to grow. When a representative from RISD came to visit her high school, she was impressed by the range of art majors offered and the opportunity to specialize in specific fields of study. “When I visited campus, I was immediately attracted to the Painting department and the studio spaces,” she recalls.
Thankfully, her family member is doing better now, and Zhao is happy to be completing her senior year. She is drawing upon the challenges her family has faced to inform her creative process. “Creating work about this experience has helped me to process everything,” she says. “Lately, I’ve been making more sculptural works that are based off of my personal experiences and I am exploring the fragility and vulnerability of the human body, as well as themes of loss and grief in my work.”
Zhao ended up attending RISD and loved it. She even found time to explore extracurricular activities and take science classes, but when a family member fell ill, she knew she needed to be with her family. “The situation changed my life, and I fell into a deep depression. I ended up leaving for a
“The support I receive from RISD is deeply cherished. I hope that someday I can provide similar aid to someone in my situation.”
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Society of Presidential Fellows Takes Flight Since August 2019, RISD has raised a $15 million foundation for a new program to recruit and support outstanding graduate students at RISD.
Thanks to the generosity of several
The Society of Presidential Fellows program has provided RISD with a competitive edge in recruiting highly soughtafter students who would not have previously attended due to a lack of financial aid. Because the first round of fellowship recruiting has been so successful, RISD has set a goal to secure funding within the next five years that would make it possible to offer these fellowships to as many as 50 graduate students per year. This will ensure the best students can come to RISD, no matter their financial circumstances.
leadership donors, RISD has awarded inaugural Presidential Fellowships to five exceptional students this academic year. Presidential Fellows are selected through a highly competitive process and receive full-tuition funding for the duration of their graduate program. They also participate in special programming designed to enrich their studies and advance their careers, including opportunities to connect with RISD alumni mentors who are creative thought leaders.
“The Society of Presidential Fellows is one of the most exciting programs RISD has launched in recent years. We are demonstrating our commitment to equitable access through comprehensive financial support, bringing additional exceptional graduate students to RISD who might not be able to attend otherwise, and also offering recipients opportunities to engage even more deeply with leaders and changemakers in art and design,” says President Rosanne Somerson. “I am looking forward to seeing this program grow so that we can recruit and enroll many more deserving students to our graduate programs regardless of financial means.”
“It is exciting that the first group of fellows has begun to learn, make and grow at RISD,” says RISD Trustee Hillary Blumberg 92 IL. “It is vitally important to make the RISD educational experience accessible to talented graduate students who are already enriching our community and will go on to build impactful creative careers in art and design. It is heartening to see the program grow, and the more it expands the larger its impact will be.”
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“The Society of Presidential Fellows is one of the most exciting programs RISD has launched in recent years. We are demonstrating our commitment to equitable access through comprehensive financial support, bringing additional exceptional graduate students to RISD who might not be able to attend otherwise, and also offering recipients opportunities to engage even more deeply with leaders and changemakers in art and design.” —President Rosanne Somerson
2020 SOCIETY OF PRESIDENTIAL FELLOWS
Aaron Christopher Jelinek MArch 23 Jelinek earned a bachelor’s degree in Rhetoric from the University of California, Berkeley and is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Building Design and Construction accredited; Construction Documents Technology certified; and a member of the Construction Specifications Institute. His personal life experiences have disrupted old ideas as to what constitutes architecture, and he is interested in exploring architecture beyond the physical life of structures. Jelinek is excited about rigorous studio work where he will have the opportunity to test his ideas, to try and to fail, and to grow as a spatial designer. He is interested in sustainability and passive design as well as finding new channels to harness creative energy.
“I was raised with a Waldorf education that focuses on the development of creative intuition. I wanted to find a program in architecture that would allow me to use my creative intuition and further develop it. I found exactly this at RISD and am excited to be part of a community that allows and expects this of me,” says Jelinek. “This fellowship has not only alleviated daunting financial obligations, but also has given me additional time because I no longer have to work multiple jobs. I can be involved with the community, pursue projects more earnestly and immerse myself in RISD. It is absolutely breathtaking to receive this fellowship, which offers mentorship from outside of RISD, access to the community on campus, and financial support that allows additional time to do creative work.”
Jellinek’s fellowship is supported through the generosity of anonymous donors.
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Zoë Pulley MFA 23 GD Pulley earned her bachelor of fine arts degree in Fashion Design from Virginia Commonwealth University and is a two-time recipient of a Cotton Inc. Scholarship and a recipient of a Cooper Union Summer Scholarship. She was recognized by Ink magazine in 2016 as part of their designer spotlight series. Her interest in telling stories of Black experiences is reflected throughout her work and extends to Gran Sans, a jewelry brand that is an extension of generational practice in making work inspired by her grandmother, Sandra, the project’s namesake, where she is a designer and producer—as well as her most current project called Black Joy Archive, a collection of crowd-sourced images accessible online and in a limited print book release. Pulley believes it is crucial to create opportunities that encourage people of color to tell their stories within design spaces, without the obligation that the stories have a certain look or feel.
Lilly E. Manycolors MA 22 GAC Manycolors holds a bachelor’s degree of Individualized Studies in Decolonization from Goddard College and was a finalist in 2019 for Wellesley College’s Prilla Smith Bracket Award and recently received a grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts: Creative City Boston, NEFA 2020. Her two signature projects for 2020 include The Return of First Womxn, a mixed-media performance series throughout Boston and Providence that tells the Indigenous story of First Womxn’s instructions upon her return to earth, and MISODOODISWAN Red Lodge: Witnessing/Healing of MMIWG2s, an installation at the Boston Common of a sculptural rendition of a sweat lodge made from red dresses that address the need for acknowledging murdered and missing Indigenous Womxn.
“I am excited about RISD’s hybrid of creative and academic opportunities for growth, which includes studying, practicing and learning tactile art and design while also emphasizing theory and critical thought,” says Pulley. “This fellowship makes it possible for me to attend a prestigious institution without financial burden. This is especially important while we are living through a global pandemic. I’m looking forward to meeting and connecting with talented and inspiring people in the community. Knowing the sheer caliber of talent an institution like RISD welcomes each year, I’m honored to be a part of such a distinguished group of scholars!”
“I have been a self-taught artist my whole life and ‘protected’ myself from the perceptions and technique molding of European standards, so I really resisted attending art school. When I learned about RISD’s Global Arts and Cultures program and met its director, Ijlal Muzaffar, my thinking shifted. Our conversations about my work, which is rooted in my Indigenous traditions and decolonization, has the potential to braid well with the curriculum,” she says. “I am the first in my family to attend higher education and also am a mixed-Indigenous single mother without access to family or resources other than what I create. The fellowship provides me with financial liberation to continue my education and manifest my work into the world. I hope this fellowship will engage in reparational redistribution of access to resources that will benefit not just myself but also Indigenous people.”
Pulley’s fellowship is made possible by the Hillary Blumberg 92 FAV Graduate Fellowship Fund.
Manycolors’s fellowship is made possible by the Hillary Blumberg 92 FAV Graduate Fellowship Fund.
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Tzyy Yi Young MFA 22 FD Young holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in Three Dimensional Forum from the University of Washington and has participated in several residencies and workshops including the Murano Residency, Pilchuck Glass School/ Laguna B, Murano Italy. In 2019 she was an artist in residence at Pottery Northwest in Seattle, Washington and the Advanced Sculpting in Glass Workshop at Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington. Although her focus has been on ceramics and glass, she wants her work to embrace people and therefore is studying furniture design to explore how function, interaction and aesthetics come together.
Diana Sanchez MFA 22 D+M Sanchez earned a master's degree in Design, with a focus on Social Innovation and Design Research, at the University of Los Andes. She is an artist, designer and computational poet from Bogotá, Colombia. She has a background in poetic computation, creative writing and research, and her work bridges art, design, science and technology. She is the founder of Correo Patafísico, a project that inspires young girls to explore the world through scientific and technological activities with an artistic approach. This project has been featured at different conferences, such as New Direction in the Humanities at the University of Pennsylvania and Cumulus Letters to the Future in Bangalore India. Sanchez led a talk on botanic interfaces at the Design Science Symposium, Inclusive Narratives from Nature at the Edna W. Lawrence Nature Lab in September 2019.
“RISD has been a dream school since undergrad, not only because it is world renowned, but also because of the professors and artists I have worked with who have graduated from RISD. These individuals are remarkable for their passion and dedication,” she says. “I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this fellowship, and I am very thankful to RISD’s donors and community. I am looking forward to refining my making, thinking and production skills and am excited to be immersed in an environment that is so rich with creativity, motivation and hard-working people.” Young’s fellowship is made possible by the
“My profile as a designer is far from traditional, and Digital + Media welcomes interdisciplinarity and a flexible mindset and is in tune with my practice,” says Sanchez. Shona Kitchen, associate professor of Digital + Media, was especially welcoming and provided generous feedback and options to explore during her application process. Financial aid was another critical factor. “I applied one year ago and was accepted but deferred because I was unable to afford tuition. This fellowship made RISD possible for me. I am grateful to be attending such great classes and not worrying about loans,” she adds. “I’m interested in collaboration as an ethical frame in my design practice. I hope to expand my vision as a designer and push disciplinary boundaries, get a stronger foundation in computation and media, and join an effort to transform design and caring practices to positively impact communities of humans and nonhumans.”
Hillary Blumberg 92 FAV Graduate Fellowship Fund.
Sanchez’s fellowship is supported through the
To learn more, please visit risd.edu/giving/priorities/spf
generosity of anonymous donors.
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Strengthening Collections Alumni make generous contributions to the RISD Museum.
Red silk dress with cartridge pleated skirt, circa 1949 by Norman Norell. Gift of Mark Pollack 76 TX.
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Victor Adding Machine, 1939, designed by Oscar Sundstrand. Gift of Glenn Gissler BArch 84.
The RISD Museum stewards collections of more than 100,000 works of art representing diverse cultures from ancient times to the present. While the museum purchases objects to add every year, its collections also grow through works donated by generous individuals. Mark Pollack 76 TX and Glenn Gissler BArch 84 have both been working with museum curators to make targeted donations that enhance specific collections. Pollack has been supporting RISD for many decades through philanthropy and engaging with students as a guest critic and lecturer. “Around 2000 I had the idea to design a fabric collection inspired by pieces in the museum’s Costume and Textiles department. I was looking at details like trims, buttons and how a garment was actually made to spark a creative idea; I was not interested in doing ‘documentary’ fabrics that copied historical designs,” he recalls. His textile company introduced The RISD Museum Collection: Attention to Detail in 2002, followed by Women’s Work in 2007. Royalties based on sales of the fabrics in both collections still help support the museum to this day.
When asked about favorite pieces he has donated, he noted that it was impossible to pick just one. He said that Red silk dress with cartridge pleated skirt, circa 1949 by Norman Norell was a standout and lamented that photographs on the website were unable to do it justice. “Since clothing is meant to be touched and worn, looking at pictures is like experiencing food that you can smell but not taste.” He found it extremely gratifying when this dress, along with a few of his other donations, was featured in Cocktail Culture: Ritual and Invention in American Fashion, 1920–1980, an exhibition on view in 2011. Glenn Gissler took a different route to donating objects to the museum. “My first gift was on my way out of town to start a life in New York City. It was a 1960s rendering of a Valle’s Steak House in Warwick, Rhode Island. I had enjoyed the drawing for a number of years and felt that it should remain in Rhode Island,” recalls Gissler. “It is a funky rendering, not really in the continuum of erudite museum collecting, but it was accepted nevertheless.”
“After I was exposed to the museum’s vast Costume and Textiles collection, and learned how it had become an invaluable resource for Textiles and Apparel Design students, I felt compelled to donate. At first, I gave from my personal collection of textiles and clothing. Later I offered pieces I sourced and bought specifically to donate, while continuing to also give from my personal collection,” he says. “Since I know both Textiles and Apparel Design students have the opportunity to work with the same objects, I try to make selections of interest to both majors. I also began donating to the Prints, Drawings and Photographs collection, another area of interest and collecting.”
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Valentine Portable Typewriter and Case, 1969, designed by Ettore Sottsass. Gift of Glenn Gissler BArch 84.
“Helping to support the mission of the school and the museum . . . paying it forward never felt so good!” —Glenn Gissler BArch 84 “Periodically I would send things to the museum—not understanding the protocol—including an adding machine from the 1940s. Sent unannounced, the initial response was kind but discouraging,” he says. Gissler persevered and the museum accepted his donation of Victor Adding Machine, 1939, designed by Oscar Sundstrand.
many more artists who I really admire,” he says. Where his categories of personal collecting align with the museum collections is where he donates, including Decorative Arts and Design; Prints, Drawings and Photographs; and Contemporary Art. “Knowing that works of art and objects can inspire current or future generations of artists and designers—while an abstract goal—is exciting and meaningful to me,” he says. “I collect more with my wits and my eyes than a fat checkbook. I learned that by using my resources cleverly I could make a significant contribution to the museum.
Gissler became increasingly involved with the school with the encouragement of Roger Mandle HD 09, who was then the president of RISD. Eventually he was invited to join the Museum Board of Governors, where he strove to encourage greater integration between the museum and the college. “I may have played a small role in what is now a vibrant connectivity,” he says.
“It gives me great pleasure to have the Valentine Typewriter so prominently displayed and used to promote the museum; it is a modest item in many ways and innovative in poetic ways. It is nonthreatening and shows people how design can be a real part of their lives,” adds Gissler.
“I have enjoyed living with fine art most of my adult life— initially it was work by my friends—but as my eye and resources developed, I was able to live with the works of
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To learn more about supporting the RISD Museum, please contact Deputy Director of Development and External Affairs Amee Spondike at 401 454-6322 or email aspondik@risd.edu.
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Stepping Up to the Challenge As RISD students and their families faced
“When Michael shared his plan for the RISD Together Challenge, I was excited to take part,” says Trustee H. E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. “The trustees and administration have prioritized engagement of our alumni and families and this critical moment was a perfect opportunity to enlist the support of those who love RISD. I found it deeply gratifying to provide financial assistance to our students when they so urgently needed it.”
the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board of Trustees and RISD community sprang into action. This was a moment when the RISD community pulled together like no other time in its 143-year history. RISD quickly had to assist students leaving campus and reboot its educational model to be delivered online.
The RISD community rallied to the call. More than 500 donors responded in just eight weeks and together gave over $2.4 million. RISD put the funds to use immediately to support students with emergency assistance and ensured that both students and faculty had the tools and technology they needed to enhance remote learning.
These efforts were enormous—and so were the related expenses. RISD provided more than $2 million in emergency financial support to students, preserved their work left on campus, shipped making kits and laptops to students around the globe, trained staff and faculty to deliver education online, and much more.
“The outpouring of generosity of our community continues to be extraordinary,” says President Rosanne Somerson. “It has been heartening to see how the ever-strengthening ties among us are helping RISD meet one of the most significant challenges in our history. I am encouraged by how we are adapting together to emerge stronger and more resilient for the future.”
Board of Trustees Chair Michael Spalter came up with a plan and galvanized the Board of Trustees into action. He called on the trustees—both current and emeriti—to launch the RISD Together Challenge that matched, dollar-fordollar, up to $1 million in gifts made to RISD by June 30. One hundred percent of the trustees gave generously.
“I saw our community gripped by a crisis that was unprecedented and playing out at educational institutions around the world. I knew that this was a moment where the Board of Trustees could make an immediate difference for RISD students.”
“I saw our community gripped by a crisis that was unprecedented and playing out at educational institutions around the world. I knew that this was a moment where the Board of Trustees could make an immediate difference for RISD students,” says Spalter. “It was up to the trustees to lead by example and encourage the entire community to join together to help.”
—Board of Trustees Chair Michael Spalter 18
RISD Together Challenge Impact
516 Donors
75%
of Challenge Gifts Were Made by Alumni
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$2.4m Total Raised in Gifts and Pledges
Honoring a Commitment to Art and Equity Family and loved ones of Maddy Parrasch 19 PT establish a travel fund in her memory.
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Maddy Parrasch 19 PT was a gifted artist and inveterate traveler who immersed herself in RISD’s creative community. Although she started college elsewhere, all signs pointed to RISD. “Maddy’s drive to make art was overwhelming,” recalls her father, Franklin Parrasch P 19. “She thrived in ceramics and drawing classes at her first college—so much so that her teachers told her she should go to RISD. She took their advice.” “Maddy’s fully invested engagement with RISD began with her application. The drawing contraption project she produced—replete with motor and multiple paint-spurting tubes—was imagined and engineered with complete conceptual and emotional commitment,” says her father. “We still have the ‘automatic’ drawing it produced that was part of her application.”
Maddy Parrasch, Untitled, 2018. Ceramic tiles on wood, 31" x 32 1/2" Photo courtesy of Safe Gallery, New York.
“We came up with the idea of the travel fund knowing how much travel influenced our daughter’s thinking, her art and just her way of being. We want Maddy’s legacy to be the opening up of new worlds for other RISD students and to help them gain all that she did through travel,” she adds.
“Once she arrived for summer orientation classes, she immersed herself in the RISD community and immediately formed bonds with some of the people with whom she would become the closest to for the rest of her and their lives,” he adds.
“Maddy was an artist at her core and committed to both her practice and the ‘art world’ as her social environment, but she was further dedicated to social justice and equity amongst all people everywhere,” says her father.
Tragically, she died in a car accident in December 2018, only six months before she would have graduated from RISD. In the aftermath of the devastating loss of their daughter, her family found a special way to honor her life and legacy. They established the Maddy Parrasch Travel Fund, which has grown thanks to the generous contributions of scores of friends and family members.
As soon as travel is again possible, the fund will begin providing financial support to students who wish to take part in RISD travel courses.
“Maddy was an artist at her core and committed to both her practice and the ‘art world’ as her social environment, but she was further dedicated to social justice and equity amongst all people everywhere.”
“She was forever curious about the world around her—be it a new neighborhood in a city in which she was living or a remote corner of the globe. She loved the act of travel— experiencing different cultures, languages, and hearing and absorbing new perspectives,” says her mother, Suzi Parrasch P 19. “She was thrilled to travel to Rome for RISD’s European Honors Program, which was a formative experience. Seeing the frescoes in Florence, the Giottos, the Tintorettos, the Caravaggios, were life-altering experiences that informed her art in many ways.”
— Franklin Parrasch P 19
If you would like to contribute to the Maddy Parrasch Travel Fund, please visit engage.risd.edu/MaddyParraschTravel or call toll-free: 844 454-1877. Opposite page: photo by Emma Soucek 18 PT
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Families Association A single digital destination serves the needs of RISD families.
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families.risd.edu
Ambassadors Support New RISD Families The International Families Committee of the RISD Families Association, with the guidance of Student Affairs and Alumni + Family Relations, recently launched a new Family Ambassador program. This resource for incoming families connects them with families of students who have been at RISD for at least a year and who are willing to share their firsthand knowledge of RISD. Incoming families are encouraged to ask their family ambassadors about
Have questions about student life? Want to
everything from how their student
discover opportunities for RISD families?
adjusted to life at RISD to how best
Hoping to connect with other families?
successful first year. The program also
to support their student to ensure a provides an easy way for families to make new friends.
RISD’s Office of Alumni + Family Relations and Student Affairs have created the RISD Families Association website as part of their commitment to providing broader and more meaningful support to RISD families. The site was developed with guidance from Deb Mankiw P 22 and Greg Mankiw P 22, co-chairs of the Families Association, and members of the Families Association Leadership Council. On the new website, we invite you to stay up to date on what’s happening with the Families Association and get involved:
Shefali Kushalani P 22, Dr. Shanming Shi P 21 and Mingyuan Song P 21, are co-chairs of the association’s International Family Committee.
Interested in getting involved or learning more? Please contact Sanaa Nelson, alumni
•
•
Find needed information, including timely updates from
relations officer for volunteer engagement,
Student Affairs, answers to questions and contacts in key offices across RISD.
at 401 709-8585 or snelso02@risd.edu.
Be in the know with a calendar of important dates and
learn the rhythm of the school year. •
Connect with RISD’s community of artists and designers as well as fellow RISD families through involvement with
family-focused programs.
Written by June Lee, CASE intern
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Advancing Zero Waste Fueled by their passion for eliminating waste and finding creative solutions to environmental problems, Callie Clayton 17 TX, Annie Keating 17 TX and Juliana Sohn 92 PH formed a new affinity group to connect interested alumni to work together for change.
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“Callie, Juliana and I share a mutual interest in living lowwaste lifestyles and practicing those values in our careers and creative practices. We are excited to share resources with other alumni and tap into the knowledge of the broader RISD community,” says Keating.
Looking to the future, the group would like to create subgroups focused on education, designing reusable products, activism and other areas, as well as engage with the broader RISD community. “We would love to connect with students and faculty,” says Keating. “We have spoken a lot amongst ourselves about creating teams to compete in waste reduction design challenges. Working with the campus community would be a great way to do that.”
The group believes alumni can make big contributions to environmental sustainability. “Makers can play an important role in inspiring the desire for a sustainable future. Through clear infographics, user experience research, compelling visuals and media campaigns, designers and artists have the skills to influence consumer choice and thus the actions of manufacturers,” notes Clayton.
“There are so many talented people coming out of RISD. We want to tap into a group of like-minded creators to form a community and share resources. Ultimately, we are interested in actions and finding creative solutions to environmental issues through collaboration and discussion,” adds Sohn.
As with so many things, COVID-19 forced them to adjust their launch plans. “Going online expanded our base from a New York–centric group to one involving alumni from all over the world,” says Sohn. “Alumni are joining our Zoom meetings from as far away as Los Angeles, Guam and Australia. It’s been fascinating to learn about the different laws and systems in place in other areas. We learn from each other about what works or doesn’t work in places that have implemented various solutions.”
If you would like to learn more, please visit alumni.risd.edu/zero-waste to sign up for emails and join the group, which already has more than 200 alumni involved. You may also join the
“Operating as a virtual group has helped us define the group’s goals, structure and expectations. Communicating virtually as a group has required us—and participating alumni—to be very intentional about what we want to achieve as a group,” adds Clayton.
RISD Network at risdnetwork.risd.edu to access group resources and its member directory.
New Affinity Groups and Regional Clubs Launched in 2020! AFFINITY GROUPS
REGIONAL CLUBS
RISD Alumni in Animation
Connecticut
learn more. If you would
RISD Alumni in Fashion
Cleveland
RISD Alumni in Photography
Minnesota
like to get involved in a
RISD Alumni for Social Responsibility
New Hampshire
RISD Art + Design Educators
New Jersey
RISD Black Alumni
Pittsburgh
RISD Black BEB (Architects)
SE Michigan
RISD READS
Silicon Valley
Visit alumni.risd.edu/ clubs-affinity-groups to
RISD Zero Waste Alumni 25
club or group—or start one of your own—please contact alumni@risd.edu or call 401 709-8585.
Connecting Cherished Traditions Linking commencement and reunion celebrations offers new opportunities for graduating students and alumni to build community.
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RISD’s commencement ceremony has been celebrated for many decades. Over the years there have been many changes, but one thing remains constant—the RISD community loves to come together to celebrate the achievements of its graduates. With COVID-19 public health guidelines preventing an in-person graduation this past spring, RISD took the opportunity to rethink the event and create something even better. The Classes of 2020 and 2021 will celebrate a joint commencement ceremony on June 5, 2021. That same weekend, alumni with class years ending in 0, 1, 5 and 6 will return to campus to celebrate their reunions and welcome graduates. The new Commencement + Reunion Weekend (June 4–6) offers opportunities to build new traditions and forge connections between graduating students and alumni more established in their careers. “As they graduate, students are focused on launching their creative careers. Meeting RISD alumni in a fun and informal setting is a great way to expand their professional networks and gives alumni a chance to help,” says RISD Alumni Association President Donald Choi BArch 82 / P 07. Although reunions are moving to the spring, RISD Weekend—held every October for families and alumni— continues. Though RISD Weekend was held online in 2020, RISD looks forward to hosting open studios, panel discussions and other in-person programming next year.
Questions? Please contact us at alumni@risd.edu or call 401 709-8585.
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Honoring Outstanding Alumni The RISD Alumni Association will honor these outstanding alumni in-person at Commencement + Reunion Weekend (June 4–5, 2021).
Jon Key 13 GD
Rodolphe el-Khoury BArch 86
Key is an artist, designer and writer currently teaching at Cooper Union, where he served as the Frank Staton Chair in Graphic Design in 2018-19. He is co-founder and design director at Codify Art, a multidisciplinary collective dedicated to creating, producing, supporting and showcasing work by artists of color—particularly women, queer and trans artists of color. Key was selected for Forbes’ 2020 30 Under 30 Art & Style list. His work has been featured at the Jeffrey Deitch Gallery NYC and the Armory Show, as well as in the New York Times, Washington Post and the Atlantic.
el-Khoury is dean of the University of Miami School of Architecture. He leads RAD-UM, a research lab for embedded technology and robotics aiming at enhancing responsiveness and resilience in buildings and smart cities. The work of his firm, Khoury Levit Fong, has won international awards. He has shared his work through teaching, visiting professorships and lectures at dozens of institutions around the world. el-Khoury receives the Art and Design Educator Award, recognizing alumni who demonstrate exceptional skill as an educator or a clear commitment to the field of art + design education, and are recognized by their peers and students as having shown those qualities that most encourage students to learn and thrive creatively.
Key receives the Emerging Leader Award, which honors alumni who have graduated within the past 10 years; have made significant achievements and contributions to their profession and/or community; think boldly, mindfully and creatively; and who helped to create new fields of study or contributed to fundamental change in their area of practice.
Written by June Lee, CASE intern
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Lina Sergie Attar MArch 01
Kara Walker MFA 94 PT/PR
Attar is a Syrian American architect and writer from Aleppo. She runs Karam Foundation, a nonprofit organization that invests in young Syrian refugees and their communities through innovative education and leadership development. She serves as chair of the board of The Syria Campaign and was named one of Worth magazine’s “Groundbreakers 2020: 50 Women Changing the World.”
Walker is best known for her candid investigation of race, gender, sexuality and violence through silhouetted figures. She is the recipient of many awards, notably the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Achievement Award in 1997 and the United States Artists Eileen Harris Norton Fellowship in 2008. Walker is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters (elected 2012) and the American Philosophical Society (elected 2018). She was named an Honorary Royal Academician by the Royal Academy of Arts, London, in 2019.
Attar receives the RISD Serves Award, given to alumni who have achieved distinction through significant contributions and voluntary service to improving the lives of others over a sustained period of time. The award recognizes the values of service and civic responsibility that reflect RISD’s core values.
Walker receives the Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf Award, the RISD Alumni Association’s highest award, which honors Helen Metcalf, the founder of RISD, her visionary spirit and civic generosity. The award recognizes alumni who have achieved outstanding distinction in their life’s work in a professional field, or in community, public or humanitarian service. The achievements of the awardee should be inspirational to RISD students, demonstrating exemplary accomplishments in their professional and civic lives, and bring honor and pride to RISD.
SELECTING AWARDEES The Awards Committee issues an annual call for nominations to the RISD community, reviews the nominations, gathers more information as necessary and chooses the recipients. Because so many alumni are engaged in creative and impactful work around the world, the process is very competitive. A special thanks goes to Daria Askari 05 PH and the members of the committee for their excellent work (see page 35 for a list of committee volunteers). Please visit alumni.risd.edu/alumni-awards for moreWritten information by Juneabout Lee, CASE the intern program.
Stay connected and keep up to date at alumni.risd.edu.
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Celebrating Published Alumni
Fleet Library at RISD
Alumni Collection
Fleet Library at RISD and the Alumni Association have established a new book collection featuring alumni authors, illustrators, designers and publishers.
David Macauley BArch 69, HD 04 Illustrator
RISD’s creative community is prolific in many areas, including publishing. The newly established Fleet Library at RISD Alumni Collection contains books and zines with alumni contributions. It has been developed from books already in circulation at the library and totals more than 475 titles.
“We’ll have an area in the library where several shelves are devoted to selected publications from the collection, but patrons also will be able to walk through the stacks and readily see the brightly colored spine labels identifying alumni publications. We look forward to welcoming our extended community—including alumni, student families and prospective students—to embark on a treasure hunt in the library for these titles when public health conditions allow a full reopening.
Each item has a special bookplate to identify it as part of the collection and the bookplates recognize the alumni who have contributed to the published work. The collection spans a wide range of subjects, including art and design, fiction, children’s literature, food, memoir, social justice and more. The collection includes titles such as Beastly Verse by Joohee Yoon 11 IL, The Way We Work by David Macaulay BArch 69, HD 04, Childproof by Roz Chast 77 PT and Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg MFA 75 SC.
“We are excited for this collection to continue to grow and welcome alumni designers, authors, illustrators and publishers to donate their work to the collection.”
“I am really excited about launching the alumni book collection both because of the visibility it will give to RISD’s extensive influence in the fields of publishing represented in our collections and because of its potential to forge a closer connection between Fleet Library and RISD alumni,” says Dean of Libraries Margot McIlwain Nishimura.
To learn more, please visit alumni.risd.edu/ alumni-collection. For information about donating a publication, please visit risd.libguides.com/giving or call 401 709-5900.
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Board of Trustees Officers Michael H. Spalter, Chair Ilene Chaiken 79 GD / P 18, Vice Chair Richard W. Haining, Sr. P 05, Vice Chair Karen Hammond, Vice Chair Jon Kamen P 09, Vice Chair Tavares Strachan 03 GL, Vice Chair Margaret A. Williams, Vice Chair Term H. E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani David C. Barclay P 10 Caroline Baumann Hillary Blumberg 92 FAV Gabrielle Bullock BArch 84 J. Scott Burns Norman Chan BArch 85 Erica Gerard Di Bona P 11 Robert A. DiMuccio Shepard Fairey 92 IL Fabian Fondriest P 16 Kim Gassett-Schiller P 14 Joe Gebbia 05 ID / GD, HD 17 Robert W. Glass P 11 Vikram Kirloskar P 12 (on leave of absence) Mary Lovejoy Nicole J. Miller 73 AP Stacey Nicholas P 21 Lisa Pevaroff-Cohn 83 TX Michael Rock MFA 84 GD William Schweizer P 19 Shahzia Sikander MFA 95 PT/PR Ex Officio Donald Choi BArch 82 / P 07, President, Alumni Association Deborah Mankiw P 23, Co-Chair, Families Association
Ex Officio (cont.) Stephen A. Metcalf, Chair, Emeriti Trustee Rosanne Somerson 76, RISD President Emeriti Anthony C. Belluschi BArch 66 / P 95 John H. Beug P 05 Vincent A. Buonanno Jamie F. Carpenter 72 IL Jane Chace Carroll HD 06 Clara M. Dale BArch 75 Susan W. Dryfoos P 01 Bayard C. Ewing Anne B. Fordyce 67 SC Peter B. Freeman Katherine Freygang 80 IA, MFA 81 GD A. Corwin Frost 59 AR / P 97 Wilfrid L. Gates 65 LA Cathy Barancik Graham 76 PT Paula Koffler Granoff HD 10 William R. Hammer BArch 65 Ronne Hartfield Dorothy Hebden-Heath 57 PT Se-Ung Lee P 19 David A. Macaulay BArch 69, HD 04 Pauline C. Metcalf Stephen A. Metcalf Stuart J. Murphy 64 IL / P 98 J. Terrence Murray Dana M. Newbrook 63 AR Joan Ress Reeves M. Kate Rittmann P 95 Merrill W. Sherman Philip E. Tobey BArch 66 William J. Watkins P 83 Patricia A. White 64 IL / P 96
Museum Board of Governors Officers J. Scott Burns, Chair T Karen Hammond, Vice Chair Andrew Green, Vice Chair
T
Governors Vincent Buonanno Norman Chan BArch 85 Joseph A. Chazan Hannah Metcalf Childs Glenn M. Creamer Allison Dessel Erica Di Bona P 11 Robert W. Glass P 11 Paula Koffler Granoff HD 10 ET Doris J. Licht Judy Mann Ann Metcalf Pauline C. Metcalf HD 10 Stephen Metcalf T, ET Zesty Meyers Meghan Reilly Michaud 01 GD Helene J. Miller Ehsun Mirza Daniel Murray Alan Nathan Jessica Nathan Stacey Nicholas P 21 T Carol Nulman Clay Rockefeller Reza Taleghani Toots Zynsky 73 SC / P 10 Emeriti Jane Chace Carroll Kathryn M. Parsons Ex Officio Kent Kleinman, RISD Provost John W. Smith, RISD Museum Director Rosanne Somerson 76, RISD President Michael H. Spalter, RISD Board of Trustees Chair T
KEY
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Trustee
T
Emeriti Trustee
ET
T
RISD Families Association Leadership Council
Family Ambassadors
Co-Chairs Deb and Greg Mankiw P 23 T
Sabina Barach P 14 Therese Blanks-Butler P 22 Sherri Byrand P 21 Ann Florance P 22 Linda Hughes P 20 Catherine Jones P 23 Shefali Khushalani P 22 Billie Lara P 23 Pamela Russell P 22 Shanming Shi P 21 Mingyuan Song P 21 Patricia Yee BArch 89 / P 21
Members Shannon D. Alexander P 20 and Robert M. Alexander IV P 20 Grimanesa Amoros-Fleischer P 18 and William G. Fleischer P 18 Jessica F. Arner P 11 and Eli Abbe P 11 David C. Barclay P 10 T and Araceli R. Barclay P 10 Mark L. Bye P 16 and Simone Bye P 16 Fuyumi Cannon P 19 and Alan G. Cannon P 19 Ilene Chaiken 79 GD / P 18 T and Louanne Brickhouse Donald W. Choi BArch 82 / P 07 T and Karen H. Choi P 07 Melia Clapton P 23 and Eric Clapton P 23 Erica G. Di Bona P 11 T and Vin Di Bona P 11 Susan Dryfoos P 01 E T Portia J. Durbin P 21 and Christopher A. Durbin P 21 Mimi Everard P 21 and Marcus A. Everard P 21 Genevieve L. Fairbrother P 21 Joya Favreau P 24 and Jonathan Favreau P 24 Fabian Fondriest P 16 T and Suzanne Fondriest P 16 Marika G. Formoso P 20 and Hector Formoso-Murias P 20 Lauri L. Freedman P 21 and Douglas M. Freedman P 21 Olivia P. Garfield P 20 and Michael A. Newkirk P 20 Kim Gassett-Schiller P 14 T and Philip W. Schiller P 14 Janette Gee P 21 and Richard Gee P 21 Robert W. Glass P 11 T and Kathleen Glass P 11 Dorian Goldman P 08 and Marvin Israelow P 08 Dick Haining P 05 T and Catherine Haining P 05 Francesca Hetfield P 20 Joanne Houghton P 23 and Alan Houghton P 23 Dana Johnson P 22 and Mark Nelson P 22 D. Jonathan Kamen P 09 T and Angela Kamen P 09 Shefali Khushalani P 22 Helen Kim P 23 and Colin Warwick P 23 Vikram Kirloskar P 12 T and Geetanjali Kirloskar P 12
Na Liu P 23 and Wenxue Wang P 23 Zheng Liu P 22 and Cheng Zhou P 22 Sharon McCarthy P 22 and Tony Molestina P 22 John C. McIntosh P 20 Fran E. Marchant P 20 and Jeffrey S. Marchant P 20 Aimee Maroney P 15 and William D. Maroney P 15 Elizabeth Morrow P 19 and Buckley McAllister P 19 Aya Murata P 23 and Mike Charland P 23 Amy L. Murphy BArch 87 / P 24 and Michael T. Maltzan BArch 85 / P 24 Stuart J. Murphy 64 IL / P 98 E T and Nancy Murphy P 98 Cherry A. Murray P 13 Peggy Neal P 21 and Greg Cashman P 21 Stacey E. Nicholas P 21 T Sonja O’Donnell P 22 and Michael O’Donnell P 22 Jennifer Perini P 23 Amy V. Quirk P 11 and Michael P. Lehmann P 11 Sree Sajja P 21 and Vijay Sajja P 21 William E. Schweizer III P 19 T and Alison Martier Schweizer P 19 Carole Segal P 99 and Gordon Segal P 99 Debbie J. Sheldon P 21 and Christopher Sheldon P 21 Fersai Simopoulou P 23 and George Athanasopoulos P 23 Lisa Slipkovich P 21 and Dan Slipkovich P 21 Rosanne Somerson 76 T Mingyuan Song P 21 and Shanming Shi P 21 Georgie Stout 89 GD / P 24 and David Weeks 90 PT / P 24 Roland V. Sturm P 17 and Terri E. Sturm P 17 Mara Topping P 24 and Munford Topping P 24 Kimberly Van Munching P 23 and Christopher Van Munching P 23 Tatiana D. von Furstenberg P 21 Helga S. Warren P 11 and Harry Warren P 11 Gwen Watford-Miller P 22 and Charles Miller Jr. P 22 Laurie Volk P 99, P 04 and Todd V. Zimmerman P 99, P 04 Fang Wu P 23 and Runsheng He P 23
RISD Fund Co-Chairs Norman Chan BArch 85 Ryan Cunningham 02 FAV
Jesse + Helen Rowe Metcalf Society Chair Stephen A. Earle 82 TX
Volunteer lists reflect involvement as of October 16, 2020. Please visit families.risd.edu/ volunteer to learn more about volunteer opportunities for families.
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RISD Alumni Association PRESIDENT Donald Choi BArch 82 / P 07
T
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Daria Askari 05 PH, Awards Committee Chair Carly Ayres 13 ID, At-Large Executive Committee Member Tino Chow 09 ID, At-Large Executive Committee Member Ryan Cunningham 02 FAV, Mentorship Committee Co-Chair Michael Gabellini BArch 81, At-Large Executive Committee Member Greg Kanaan 02 FAV, Clubs and Affinity Groups Committee Chair Kristin Murphy MAT 96, At-Large Executive Committee Member Krista Ninivaggi BArch 02, Mentorship Committee Co-Chair Catherine Park 21, Student Alliance President Patricia Yee BArch 89 / P 21, Traditions Committee Chair Sol Armada De La Cruz 92 AP, AtLarge Executive Committee Member Jill Greenberg 89 PH, At-Large Executive Committee Member ALUMNI AWARDS COMMITTEE Daria Askari 05 PH, Chair Jacinda Chew 99 IL Bill Hammer BArch 65 Greg Kozatek 10 IL Keita Turner 91 AP TRADITIONS COMMITTEE Angela Boswell 95 TX Becky Fong Hughes 05 GD Mindy Home 99 IL Patricia Yee BArch 89 / P 21, Chair REGIONAL CLUBS US Clubs Austin Jonas Criscoe MFA 08 PT, Co-Chair Sarah Reed 94 PH, Co-Chair Laura Worrick 08 IL, Co-Chair Boston Becky Fong Hughes 05 GD, Co-Chair Sarah Guerin BArch 99, Co-Vice Chair Mindy Home 99 IL, Co-Vice Chair Diana Wagner MID 14, Co-Chair
Chicago Marc Choi MFA 11 GD, Communications Chair Andreas Nicholas 18 FAV, Volunteer Laura Noble 03 IL, Vice Chair Gabriel Romero-Anaya 17 FAV, Recent Alumni Chair Ilivia Rozelle 99 GD, Chair Cleveland Brian Rubenstein MArch 09, Chair Colorado/Denver Patrick Marold 97 ID, Chair Connecticut Kathy Megrue-Smith 88 GD, Chair
New Hampshire Mary Codd 75 AE, Co-Chair Annie Friedman Xavier 71 AE, Co-Chair Janna Genereaux 86 PT, Co-Chair New Jersey Melanie Grossberg 93 GD, Chair Lynn Mullins 87 PT, Vice Chair Tony Peer 16 ID, Volunteer New York Daria Askari 05 PH, Co-Chair Hillary Blumberg 92 FAV, Co-Chair T Jill Groeber 96 GD, Co-Chair Jane Huang BArch 11, Co-Chair Kathy Megrue-Smith 88 GD, Co-Chair T
Houston Felice Cleveland MA 08 AE, Volunteer Erin Kim 17 IL, Volunteer Falon Mihalic MLA 12, Co-Chair Katie Schon 05 ID, Co-Chair Juan Vera 04 IL, Volunteer
Philadelphia Rosemary Bock 10 ID, Communications Chair Barbara Macaulay BArch 77, Co-Chair Mike Martella BArch 91, Co-Chair Anna Mogilevsky 02 PT, Volunteer Marcy Soronson BIA 74, Vice Chair
Los Angeles Sol Armada De La Cruz 92 AP, Co-Chair Moriah Benton 16 IL, Recent Alumni Chair Aaron Chang 03 FD, MAT 04, Co-Chair Zach Deocadiz-Smith 17 GD, Communications Chair Donna deSoto 71 TX, Volunteer Tom Lamb MFA 80 PH, Volunteer Cristina Sirbu MFA 14 TX, Vice Chair
Pittsburgh Alaina Bernstein MDes 16, Recent Alumni Chair Kathy Gore-Whitney 81 GD / P 09, Co-Chair Christine Holtz 00 PH, Co-Chair Paula Klein 75 PT, MAT 76, Volunteer Stephanie Sun 10 JM, Communications Chair
Maine Louisa Donelson 06 PT, Volunteer Lee Leonard 96 PT, Volunteer Karen Sigler 01 ID, Volunteer Elizabeth Whelan 91 TX, Volunteer Pat White 64 IL / P 96, Leadership Board
Portland Jane Savage 91 ID, Chair
Miami Bryce Bounds BArch 05, Volunteer Geraldo Dannemann MArch 05, Volunteer Danny Diaz BArch 12, Co-Vice Chair
Rhode Island Neethi Abraham MA 17 IA, Communications Chair Cameron Bye 16 IL, Volunteer Tino Chow 09 ID, Volunteer Amy Cohen 76 TX, Chair Elaine Froehlich 87 GD, Volunteer Peter Gemei 00 GL, Volunteer
Kathleen Finch 13 TX, Co-Vice Chair Rhia Hunter 00 FAV, Chair Isabel Kim 91 IL, Communications Chair Jayda Knight BIA 99, Volunteer Maritza Molina 98 PH, Volunteer Gabriela Pradas 94 GD, Volunteer Logan Rackear 17 PT, Co-Recent Alumni Chair Elena Tepavac MDes 18 INST, Co-Recent Alumni Chair
Lois Harada 10 PR, Volunteer Carl Henschel 01 IA, Co-Vice Chair Priya Himatsingka 00 JM, Co-Vice Chair Scott Noh 13 ID, Volunteer Marjorie Powning 84 IA, Volunteer Pamela Rohland 89 PT, Volunteer Alane Spinney 78 PH, Volunteer Dina Zaccagnini Vincent BGD 93, Volunteer Tempest Zakroff 00 PR, Volunteer
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RISD Alumni Association (continued) San Diego Becky Bourgeois 01 AP, Co-Chair Sarah Delahanty 06 FAV, Co-Chair Tom Lamb MFA 80 PH, Co-Chair Amy White 87 JM, Co-Chair San Francisco Alec Babala 14 ID, Co-Chair Amy Gregg 92 GD, Vice Chair Jennifer Hale 93 PH, Volunteer Erik Lack 15 ID, Co-Chair Philip Lau 18 ID, Recent Alumni Chair Ryan Mather 15 ID, Volunteer Jinal Sampat MLA 12, Volunteer Stephania Serena 89 PH, Communications Chair Lizzie Wright 18 ID, Volunteer Anqi Xiao MID 16, Volunteer Committee Marilyn Yu 97 SC, Volunteer SE Michigan Sina Almassi MArch 15, Volunteer Lee Fearnside MFA 02 PH, Volunteer Sally Gilreath 92 IL, Volunteer Tohru Kanayama 95 GD, Volunteer Spencer Lanyi 67 SC, Volunteer Fran Mason MA 97 AE, Chair Christian Mueller 05 GD, Volunteer Addie Stone-Richards 98 AR, Volunteer Seattle Atulya Chaganty MID 17, Recent Alumni Chair Ling Chun MFA 16 CR, Volunteer Julia Davids MID 16, Chair Tiffany Iacolucci 07 IL, Volunteer Levi Jette MArch 12, Vice Chair David Kendall MFA 96 GD, Volunteer Silicon Valley Shannon Badiee 06 PR, Co-Chair Jared Zimmerman BGD 06, Co-Chair Vermont Miriam Block 94 TX, Co-Chair Lucy Bourgeault 93 SC, Co-Chair Washington, DC Anthony Dihle 04 GD, Co-Vice Chair Sean Dudley 93 PT, Volunteer Cindy Qi MLA 14, Volunteer Barbara Sarkisian Werfel BArch 89, Chair Catherine Sheehan BArch 83, Volunteer Parima Sukosi BIA 11, Volunteer Bruce Werfel BArch 89, Volunteer Misun Yoon 09 IA, Co-Vice Chair
INTERNATIONAL CLUBS Beijing Catherine McMahon BArch 03, Club Leader Gulf Region (Qatar/UAE/Saudi Arabia) Saba Qizilbash MA 04 AE, Club Leader Hangzhou Des Delanty BArch 13, Club Leader Hong Kong Donald Choi BArch 82 / P 07, President T Frank Chow BLA 92, Secretary Rex Wong BArch 03, Treasurer India Soaib Grewal 11 ID, Club Leader Akshat Raghava 09 ID, Club Leader Malvika Vaswani 11 ID, Club Leader Korea Kate Cho BArch 09, Planning Committee Member Young Do Jeong 10 PT, Planning Committee Member Eddie Kang 03 FAV, Club Leader Vikki Lim 12 AR, Planning Committee Member Si Mook Oh 16 ID, Planning Committee Member London Alexander Dale BArch 14, Club Leader Paris Nicole Stulman 86 AP, Club Leader Shanghai Brendan Kellogg 06 FD, Club Leader Lawrence Wu 07 ID, Club Leader Singapore Priscilla Tey 15 IL, Club Leader
Volunteer lists reflect involvement as of October 16, 2020. Please visit alumni.risd.edu/volunteer to learn more about volunteer opportunities for alumni.
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RISD Alumni Affinity Groups RISD Alumni for Social Impact Stacey Ascher 07 IL, Leader RISD Alumni in Animation Moriah Benton 16 IL, Co-Leader Olivia Pecini 16 FAV, Co-Leader Jake Reeves 15 IL, Co-Leader RISD Alumni in Fashion Susan Becker 90 AP, Co-Leader Lucas Lefler BArch 12, Co-Leader Vanessa Pang 95 AP, Co-Leader RISD Alumni in Film and Television Ilene Chaiken 79 GD / P 18, Co-Leader T Ryan Cunningham 02 FAV, Co-Leader RISD Alumni in Immersive Experience [VR/AR] Zach Deocadiz-Smith 17 GD, Co-Leader Joshua Inch 16 GD, Co-Leader Jesse Lehrhoff 03 FAV, Co-Leader RISD Alumni in Photography Gisel Florez 03 IL, Co-Leader Julia Parris 05 PH, Co-Leader
RISD Alumni in UI/UX Lily Fan 16 ID, Co-Leader Anqi Xiao MID 16, Co-Leader
RISD in Tech Jonathan Arena 09 GD, Co-Leader Mike Neff 04 PH, Co-Leader
RISD Architects Dante Gamache MLA 16, Volunteer Yingjing Qu MDes 19 IA, Volunteer Joe Serrins BArch 93, Volunteer
RISD Lawyers Greg Kanaan 02 FAV, Leader
RISD Art + Design Educators Kimberly Olson 92 IL, MAT 93, Co-Leader Barbara Voccola 86 GD, MAT 94, Co-Leader RISD Black Alumni Vincent Brathwaite 05 ID, Group Leader Ashton Agbomenou 14 FAV, Volunteer Tiffany Cooper 12 FAV, Volunteer Karen Harris 86 IL / P 18, P 13, Volunteer Christina Schaller MArch 18, Volunteer RISD Black BEB (Architects) Christina Schaller MArch 18, Leader RISD Founders + Entrepreneurs John Chidiac 94 IL, Co-Leader Harry Segal 88 GD, Co-Leader Chris Tolles 08 FD, Co-Leader
RISD READS Amy Cohen 76 TX, Leader Marie Brown 94 ID, Host Patricia Childers 86 GD, Host Alexandra Gadawski MArch 15, Host Alta Price 01 PR, Host Stephanie Rudig 10 GD, Host Suzanne Wu 15 FD, Host Barbara Werfel BArch 89, Host RISD Venture Hina Cao MArch 17, Leader RISD Zero Waste Alumni Aaro Ainsley MDes 16, Chair, Circular + Sustainable Fashion Committee Callie Clayton 17 TX, Co-Leader Annie Keating 17 TX, Co-Leader Juliana Sohn 92 PH, Co-Leader
ALUMNI VIRTUAL EVENT SPEAKERS Sol Armada De La Cruz 92 AP Daria Askari 05 PH Chaitra Bangalore MA 17 AE Lauren Baumbach BArch 79 Susan Becker 90 AP Moriah Benton 16 IL Deborah Berke BArch 77, HD 05 Hillary Blumberg 92 FAV Rosemary Bock 10 ID Ilene Chaiken 79 GD / P 18 T Donald Choi BArch 82 / P 07 T Marc Choi MFA 11 GD Ling Chun MFA 16 CR Callie Clayton 17 TX Ryan Cunningham 02 FAV Matthew Curry IL 97 Julia Davids MID 16 Chase DeForest MFA 04 Zach Deocadiz-Smith 17 GD Donna deSoto 71 TX Rachel Dranoff MA 17 AE
Gisel Florez 03 IL Becky Fong Hughes 05 GD Amy Gregg 92 GD Jill Groeber 96 GD Sarah Guerin BArch 99 Lois Harada 10 PR Eric Holter 91 IL Henry Horenstein 71 PH, MFA 73 Joshua Inch 16 GD Greg Kanaan 02 FAV Hana Kassem BArch 95 J.R. Krause 90 IL Erik Lack 15 ID Lucas Lefler BArch 12 Jesse Lehrhoff 03 FAV Tiara Little 15 FAV Deb Mankiw P 23 T Greg Mankiw P 23 John Mathot 90 FAV Emmanuel Mauleon 12 PT Irwin Miller BArch 94
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Nell Painter MFA 11 PT Julia Parris 05 PH Mudita Pasari MA 17 AE Marcia Patmos 91 AP Evie Porwick 88 GD Mitchell Rigie 78 IL Jason Romero MFA 12 TX Jonathan Rosenbloom BArch 94 Victoria Rosner 07 PH Stephania Serena 89 PH Allan Shope BArch 78 Stephanie Silverman 04 FD Cristina Sirbu MFA 14 TX Juliana Sohn 92 PH Allison Stocco MFA 14 TX Chase Taylor MFA 13 TX Jess Wainer 04 GL Diana Wagner MID 14 Tom Weis MID 08 Dan Wood 94 PR Serena Wu 15 IL
1877 Society Named for the year of our founding, this society honors and recognizes those who make it possible to reach our ambitious goals and respond to the most pressing needs of the college.
The 1877 Society recognizes donors’ cumulative gifts to the RISD Fund received between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020 at the following levels: Trustees’ Circle
$25,000 or more
President’s Circle
$10,000–$24,999
Deans’ Circle
$2,500–$9,999
The Centennial Society recognizes loyalty donors, those who have given to RISD in any amount for three consecutive years or more.
GIVING KEY Trustee
T
Emeriti Trustee
ET
Museum Governor
M
RISD Parent
P ##[class year]
RISD Grandparent
GP ##[class year]
Honorary Degree
HD ##[class year]
Deceased Donor
*
Non-degree Graduate Centennial Society (3 years+ Consecutive Giving)
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⌽ ∞
Leadership donors who support RISD with gifts of $2,500 or more each year to the RISD Fund are pace-setting members of our philanthropic community.
TRUSTEES’ CIRCLE
PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE
H. E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani T David C. Barclay P 10 T and Chet R. Barclay P 10 ∞ Hillary M. Blumberg 92 FAV T and Alex B. Ginsburg Fuyumi Cannon P 19 and Alan G. Cannon P 19 ∞ Sean M. Cannon MArch 01 Norman E. Chan BArch 85 T, M and Susanna Kwok ∞ Donald W. Choi BArch 82 / P 07 T and Karen H. Choi P 07 ∞ Susan Dryfoos P 01 ET Portia J. Durbin P 21 and Christopher A. Durbin P 21 ∞ Shepard Fairey 92 IL T and Amanda Fairey Fabian Fondriest P 16 T and Suzanne Fondriest P 16 ∞ Kim Gassett-Schiller P 14 T and Philip W. Schiller P 14 ∞ Joe Gebbia 05 ID / GD, HD 17 T ∞ Robert W. Glass P 11 T, M and Kathleen Glass P 11 ∞
Eli Abbe P 11 and Jessica F. Arner P 11 ∞ Grimanesa Amoros-Fleischer P 18 and William G. Fleischer P 18 Anonymous Jessica F. Arner P 11 and Eli Abbe P 11 ∞ Gabrielle A. Bullock BArch 84 T and Rocky Carroll Ilene Chaiken 79 GD, P 18 T and Louanne Brickhouse ∞ Ryan E. Cunningham 02 FAV ∞ Clara Dale BArch 75 ET and John D. Dale BArch 75 ∞ Erica G. Di Bona P 11 T, M and Vin Di Bona ∞ Robert A. DiMuccio T and Rena Dimuccio Mimi Yashiro P 21 and Marcus Everard P 21 ∞ Genevieve L. Fairbrother P 21 ∞ William G. Fleischer P 18 and Grimanesa Amoros-Fleischer P 18 Walter Henry Freygang Foundation ∞ Carol Goldenberg Rosen 73 IL and James Rosen ∞ Dorian Goldman P 08 and Marvin Israelow P 08 ∞
Eleanore Hadley 49 AP * Richard W. Haining P 05 T and Catherine D. Haining P 05 ∞ Jon Kamen P 09 T and Angela Kamen P 09 ∞ Vikram Kirloskar P 12 T and Geetanjali Kirloskar P 12 ∞ Beth Kobliner Shaw and David E. Shaw ∞ Siqi Lee and Patrick Wong Na Liu P 23 and Wenxue Wang P 23 Mary Lovejoy T and John Whistler ∞ Michael T. Maltzan BFA 84, BArch 85 and Amy L. Murphy BFA 86, BArch 87 ∞
Joan M. Hall and Mark Weil Karen Hammond T, M and Michael A. Quattromani ∞ Hasbro Children’s Fund Inc. Runsheng He P 23 and Fang Wu P 23 The Hetfield Family Natalia Howe and Michael L. Howe ∞ Marvin Israelow P 08 and Dorian Goldman P 08 ∞ Shefali Khushalani P 22 Ernie Kirwan BFA 51 * Lauren Kogod BArch 85 and David Smiley ∞ Leslie Kramer MFA 76 PR ∞
Deborah Mankiw P 23 T and N. Gregory Mankiw P 23 Alison Martier Schweizer P 19 and William E. Schweizer P 19 T ∞ Delle R. Maxwell 74 TX and Patrick Hanrahan John McIntosh P 20 Phoebe Meehan 52 TX ∞
Robert Lehman Foundation, Inc. Buckley McAllister P 19 and Elizabeth Morrow P 19 ∞ Jennifer Perini P 23 Michael J. Rock MFA 84 GD T ∞ Alicia Rosauer 99 PH and Robert G. Segal MFA 99 TX ∞ Susan Sellers 89 GD ∞ Sarah A. Sharpe BGD 94 and John Powley Raymond N. Shick BArch 83 Rosanne Somerson 76 T ∞ Georgianna Stout 89 GD / P 24 and David D. Weeks 90 PT / P 24 ∞ Tavares H. Strachan 03 GL T ∞
Katherine D. Megrue-Smith 88 GD and J. Allen Smith Stephen A. Metcalf T, ET, M and Ewa Metcalf ∞ Nicole J. Miller 73 AP T and Kim Taipale ∞ Stacey E. Nicholas P 21 T, M ∞ Lisa Pevaroff-Cohn 83 TX T and Gary Cohn RISD Student Action Initiative Philip W. Schiller P 14 and Kim Gassett-Schiller P 14 T ∞ William E. Schweizer P 19 T and Alison Martier Schweizer P 19 ∞ Michael Spalter T and Anne M. Spalter MFA 92 ∞ Leyla Tara Suyabatmaz BArch 89 and Arif Suyabatmaz C. L. Tillinghast Foundation Under Armour Wenxue Wang P 23 and Na Liu P 23 Marjean Willett 48 LA * Patrick Wong and Siqi Lee
Textron, Inc. David D. Weeks 90 PT / P 24 and Georgianna Stout 89 GD / P 24 ∞ Rex Wong BArch 03 ∞ Fang Wu P 23 and Runsheng He P 23
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1877 Society (continued) DEAN’S CIRCLE
Daniel Gavin Janette Gee P 21 and Richard Gee P 21 Peter Gill Case MArch 97 and Lucia Gill Case Amy L. Gould BArch 75 and Matthew Polk ∞ Elizabeth Granoff and Evan J. Granoff Paula Koffler Granoff HD 10 ET, M and Leonard Granoff Marjorie I. Hellman 71 PT Tijana Hitchon P 21 and Jonathan W. Hitchon P 21 Elizabeth Peck Repass Holmes BIA 88 Joanne Houghton P 23 and Alan Houghton P 23 Stephen C. Kellogg 63 IL ∞ Helen Kim P 23 and Colin Warwick P 23 Diana Knoblauch P 22 and Loring Knoblauch P 22 Amanda Konradi Marianna Konradi Rebecca Kutzer P 21 and Pete Kutzer P 21 ∞ Angus T. MacLane 97 FAV and Tashana K. Landray ∞ Michael P. Lehmann P 11 and Amy V. Quirk P 11 Laura S. Lienhard 87 TX, MFA 95 TX and Peter Gobos Zheng Liu P 22 and Cheng Zhou P 22 Wheaton B. Mahoney 93 PH and Patrick F. Mahoney Fran Marchant P 20 and Jeffrey Marchant P 20 ∞
Shannon D. Alexander P 20 and Robert M. Alexander P 20 Anonymous George Athanasopoulos P 23 and Fersai Simopoulou P 23 Deborah L. Berke BArch 77, HD 05 and Peter McCann Nadine E. Berkowsky 67 TX and Mark A. Berkowsky BArch 69 ∞ Cecelia (Nash) Bruce 72 PT and Kenneth Bruce 71 AR ∞ J. Scott Burns T, M and Cynthia B. Burns ∞ Simone Bye P 16 and Mark L. Bye P 16 ∞ The Bonnie Cashin Fund, NYCT ∞ Gregory Cashman P 21 and Margaret Neal P 21 Michael Charland P 23 and Aya Murata P 23 Katie Chester 90 GD Jacinda K. Chew 99 IL Melia Clapton P 23 and Eric Clapton P 23 Sharon R. Cooperman P 21 and Tod D. Cooperman P 21 ∞ Zara Crowley 96 PT and Steve Crowley ∞ Chelsea R. Danburg 96 TX and Asher M. Danburg 96 ID ∞ Ann W. Douden 72 IL ∞ Ines Elskop P 15 and Christopher Scholz P 15 Kenneth W. Fain and Lisa Gim Robert Flynt Marika G. Formoso P 20 and Hector Formoso-Murias P 20 Arthur C. Frost 59 AR / P 97 ET and Rosalie H. Frost 59 GD / P 97 ∞ Michael Gabellini BFA 80, BArch 81 and Kimberly Sheppard BFA 85, BArch 86 Ann Gallo P 15 and Joseph A. Gallo P 15 Olivia P. Garfield P 20 and Michael A. Newkirk P 20
Aimee Maroney P 15 and William D. Maroney P 15 Denise Maroney MFA 15 TX Sharon McCarthy P 22 and Antonio Molestina P 22 Hope A. McCulloch 77 TX ∞ Julie Mehretu MFA 97 PT / PR ∞ Lucy D. Metcalf Richard H. Michaelson BArch 74 and Karen Karlsson ∞ Charles Miller P 22 and Gwendolyn Watford-Miller P 22 38
Cliff L. Selbert BLA 75 and Robin E. Perkins 86 GD ∞ Brian P. Selznick 88 IL and David Serlin ∞ Peggy B. Sharpe 53 LA / P 94 and Henry D. Sharpe P 94 ∞ Deborah J. Sheldon P 21 and Christopher Sheldon P 21 ∞ Merrill W. Sherman ET Kimberly Sheppard BFA 85, BArch 86 and Michael Gabellini BFA 80, BArch 81 Shanming Shi P 21 and Mingyuan Song P 21 Martha P. Siegel MAT 87 and Adam Elsesser ∞ Fersai Simopoulou P 23 and George Athanasopoulos P 23 Lisa Slipkovich P 21 and Daniel Slipkovich P 21 ∞
Irwin S. Miller BArch 94 and Heidi L. Miller Antonio Molestina P 22 and Sharon McCarthy P 22 Jake Moritz MID 18 Barbara A. Morrill and Carl H. Phillips Aya Murata P 23 and Michael Charland P 23 Stuart J. Murphy 64 IL / P 98 ET and Nancy Murphy P 98 ∞ Cherry A. Murray P 13 J. Terrence Murray ET and Suzanne Murray Margaret Neal P 21 and Gregory Cashman P 21 Mark Nelson P 22 and Dana Johnson P 22 Dana M. Newbrook 63 AR ET and Nancy C. Newbrook ∞ Michael A. Newkirk P 20 and Olivia P. Garfield P 20 Krista L. Ninivaggi BArch 02 ∞
Mingyuan Song P 21 and Shanming Shi P 21 Roland V. Sturm P 17 and Terri E. Sturm P 17 ∞ Alexander Y. Suh 96 GD ∞ Michael S. Swischuk P 21 and Stephanie D. Savage BArch 91 / P 21 Eduardo D. Terranova MArch 06 ∞ Philip E. Tobey BArch 66 ET and Pamela J. Tobey 68 AE ∞
Sonja O’Donnell P 22 and Michael O’Donnell P 22 Robin E. Perkins 86 GD and Cliff L. Selbert BLA 75 ∞ Thomas J. Quinn 03 GD and Christine Quinn ∞ Amy V. Quirk P 11 and Michael P. Lehmann P 11 Victoria W. Reynolds 85 JM and Thomas H. Reynolds ∞ Sally E. Rigg MArch 95 and David P. Baker ∞ Harriet J. Roaman ∞ Nancy Roche 59 IL and Francis M. Roche 60 AR ∞
Mara Topping P 24 and Munford Topping P 24 Kimberly Van Munching P 23 and Christopher Van Munching P 23 Helga S. Warren P 11 and Harry A. Warren P 11 ∞ Helen H. Kim P 23 and Colin Warwick P 23 Gwendolyn Watford-Miller P 22 and Charles Miller P 22 William Watkins P 83 ET Patricia A. White 64 IL / P 96 ET ∞ Margaret A. Williams T and William F. Barrett ∞ Christi Work ∞
Pushpasree Sajja P 21 and Vijay K. Sajja P 21 Elinor Sapp BID 79 ∞ Robert J. Schaeffner BArch 81 and Jennifer Schaeffner ∞ Robin P. Schlacter P 17 and Charles R. Schlacter P 17 ∞ Abby S. Schnair 75 PH and Gene Schnair ∞ Christopher Scholz P 15 and Ines Elskop P 15 Sharon Lee Driscoll Schuur 90 IL and Peter F. Schuur ∞ Carole Segal P 99 and Gordon I. Segal P 99 ∞
Patricia Quan Yee BArch 89 / P 21 and Roger A. Yee P 21 ∞ Cheng Zhou P 22 and Zheng Liu P 22
39
Full Steam Ahead RISD is rapidly expanding engagement of alumni and families in the vital work of the college and museum.
We have placed significant emphasis on generating increased financial aid for students. But, as important, we are helping them find internships and build their professional networks by connecting them with alumni in their fields. Our efforts for alumni have increased virtual learning and professional development opportunities. We did this by expanding our webinar offerings around career-building, business skills and adapting creative practices during COVID-19. We also have launched many new affinity groups since this time last year, including RISD Black BEB (Architects) and RISD Black Alumni. Stay tuned for announcements about more groups forming to help alumni of color better network and address shared concerns. Perhaps our most significant accomplishment has been the RISD Network—a digital platform that now has more than 2,000 alumni and 500 students signed up to connect and learn from one another.
It is exciting to see plans and aspirations come to fruition, and it has been especially gratifying to witness the many ways our community is embracing new opportunities to get involved and support our students.
We’ve also made investments to better serve the families of RISD students. In partnership with Student Affairs, we launched the Families Association website in August. We have also developed a new Families Ambassadors program that helps families of incoming students navigate the new terrain by connecting them with families whose students have been at RISD and know the ropes. Our aim is to welcome all RISD families into our community and provide them with information and opportunities to connect and get involved.
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic instability, RISD received the secondhighest level of philanthropic support in its history. Our donors gave generously to provide emergency funds for students impacted by the pandemic, increase financial aid and invest in new programs. The RISD Student Action Initiative, in particular, was noteworthy as several students and alumni came together to rally other alumni, parents, faculty, staff and their fellow students to raise funds to support their classmates during a time of need.
We are excited to continue developing a multiplicity of means for you to engage with our global community, and we appreciate your generous support.
The stories we have shared in this issue reflect how we have directed our efforts to support students, alumni and families in recent months.
O’NEIL OUTAR VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL ENGAGEMENT
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Institutional Engagement at RISD The Institutional Engagement team is dedicated to advancing RISD’s mission by strategically fostering lifelong relationships with alumni, parents, friends and organizations that strengthen goodwill and philanthropy.
WEB alumni.risd.edu families.risd.edu risd.edu/giving risdnetwork.risd.edu EMAIL
giving@risd.edu
Momentum
Written and edited by
is a magazine about donor
Christy Law Blanchard
and volunteer impact from Institutional Engagement,
Photos by Jo Sittenfeld
Rhode Island School of Design
MFA 08 PH, with additional
© 2020
images from David O’Connor and Matthew Watson 09 FAV.
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