The School of Art and Design continues to grow. With nearly 1,000 undergraduate students and 20 Master of Fine Arts candidates, the school exemplifes a resurgence of interest in the fne arts and the importance of visual culture to the next generation of society’s leaders. In addition to increasing its number of majors and graduate students, the school is expanding its faculty in ways that strengthen and broaden curricular oferings.
We look forward to the innovative contributions of these new members of our SDSU community and the positive impact they will have on students. Our work to provide formative experiences and life-changing opportunities for students would not be possible without your generous support.
Thank you for all you do to help make students' dreams a reality.
Tina Yapelli, M.A. Director Professor of Art Senior Curator, University Art Gallery
Changing Lives through Program Support
Anna Marie Fobes Endowed Scholarship
Established by Anna Marie's sons, David and Clark, this scholarship honors their mother's lifelong support of the arts and students. Anna Marie Fobes (1926-2023) earned a BFA in Art from Omaha University in 1949. She took courses in ceramics, jewelry and metalworking in the 1960s, returning to oil painting until she was 92. The scholarship is both a gift in memory of Anna and a legacy of her son David's passion for his students at SDSU.
SDSU Art Gallery Exhibition Fund
The Imaginary Amazon was organized by the SDSU Art Galleries and curated by Assistant Professor Gillian Sneed. Support for this exhibition and its programming was provided in part by the School of Art and Design, the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts, Arts Alive SDSU, the Division of Research and Innovation, the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Languages and Literatures, the Behner Stiefel Center for Brazilian Studies, the Consulate General of Brazil in Los Angeles, the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD), and the Camões Institute.
Anna Marie Fobes
Living the Aztec Experience
Gina Vi Ferguson, Class of 2024
Class Level: Undergraduate Student
College: School of Art and Design
Major: Interior Architecture
I have always wanted to do good in the world, and help people and the SURP (SDSU Undergraduate Research Program) allowed me to further the good I can do for people in need. It was there that I created a soft robotic device that was focused on my struggle with anxiety and depression in hopes that it would help others with what I have gone through.
It's okay to be afraid of failure. If something does not work out or go the way you wanted it to, take it as an opportunity to grow from that situation.
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...the SURP (SDSU Undergraduate Research Program) allowed me to further the good I can do for people in need.
Robin North, Class of 2024
Class Level: Graduate Student College: School of Art and Design Major: Art
My career aspirations lie in college-level teaching, and I'm thrilled to announce that I've accepted a Faculty Fellow position at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington!
My academic journey has profoundly shaped my goals. My college experience in Fine Arts ignited a passion for empowering others through art education, a passion that this position allows me to pursue.
My research will center on digital repositories as powerful instruments for fostering community engagement and social change. I plan to prioritize marginalized voices and challenge dominant historical narratives, particularly those concerning African diasporic families in the Deep South. Through research and teaching, I hope to disrupt existing paradigms and contribute to a more inclusive understanding of history and identity.
My teaching experience at San Diego State University as a TA for two years was invaluable. It provided me with the expertise to confdently approach the faculty fellow application process, including preparing a teaching demonstration. The guidance from PSFA faculty was crucial in navigating the ultra-competitive faculty job search and ultimately securing this position.
“My college experience in Fine Arts ignited a passion for empowering others through art education, a passion that this position allows me to pursue.
Celebrating Shared Success
Statistics of Interest
Total number of students: 1,257 undergraduates and 19 graduates
The University Art Gallery hosted two exhibitions in 2023–2024, welcoming 2100 visitors, 830 of which were SDSU students.
The Flor y Canto and Everett Gee Jackson galleries hosted 35 student exhibitions, including 8 MFA thesis exhibitions, the annual Graduate Review Exhibition, and the 26th Annual Student Award Exhibition.
The number of campus sponsors for the Student Award Exhibition grew from 17 in 2023 to 22 in 2024.
Students received $22,000 in awards, and 13 purchased artworks were added to the university’s permanent collection in ofces across campus.
Recent Highlights
We are excited to announce that art historian Dr. Eunice Uhm will join the School of Art and Design in fall 2024. She is joining us from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, where she has served as Assistant Professor of Art History and Museum Studies since 2022.
The Imaginary Amazon, a group exhibition presented at the University Art Gallery, featured contemporary and historical art and material culture exploring representations of the Amazon Rainforest region. The exhibition was organized by the SDSU Art Galleries and curated by Assistant Professor Dr. Gillian Sneed.
Support for the exhibition and its educational programs was provided by the School of Art and Design, the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts, Arts Alive SDSU, the Division of Research and Innovation, the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Languages and Literatures, the Behner Stiefel Center for Brazilian Studies, the Consulate General of Brazil in Los Angeles, the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD), and the Camões Institute. Several curator-led exhibition tours were provided for SDSU students, students from other San Diego institutions, INSITE, and the Brazilian Studies Association Congress. Programming also included a botanical illustration workshop for students led by exhibition artist Sergio Allevato and a panel discussion presented by Arts Alive SDSU. Media coverage of the exhibition included an interview on The World with host Marco Werman and curator Gillian Sneed.
New Faculty
Art historian Dr. Eunice Uhm will join the School of Art and Design in fall 2024
Helping to Build a Brighter Future
Yin Yu, Ph.D.
Title: Assistant Professor, Interior Architecture College: School of Art and Design
Achievement: Dr. Yu's works have been published and exhibited in international venues, such as the HumanComputer Interaction (CHI) conference (US), the Haptic and Audio Interaction Design (HAID) workshop (FR), the Wearable Technology Exhibition (ES), the Expanded Animation Symposium at Ars Electronica (AT), the Xenakis22 Symposium (GR), and International Symposium of Electronic Art (FR, KR).
Yu has won several awards, including the Dean’s Award for Achievement in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity; the Academic Excellence Design and Paper Award; and the Lyman and Judith Johnson Interior Architecture Award. She was the recipient of the Olivia Long Converse Fellowship and the Nascence and UO Hong Kong Alumni Scholarship.
Yu practiced in leading technology frms and architectural design companies, such as AECOM (Fortune 500 Global No.1 Design Firm), BENOY (Europe Top 50 UK Design Firm), Optoplex (Top 13 in the Fast 50 Program for Silicon Valley Telecommunication), and Group 70 International (A Hawaii Top 3 Architecture Design Firm). Clients include Apple, Huawei, Hilton, Porsche, and others.
Dr. Yin Yu is an artist, designer, engineer, and tenure-track assistant professor at the San Diego State University School of Art and Design. Her research investigates the potential of interactive multimedia environments and the intersection of architecture, music, and emerging technologies. Her practice covers a broad spectrum, including product design, furniture design, architectural design, interactive design, wearable design, and art installation.
