Creativity, Community, and Purpose
Dear Friends, Each day, I am inspired by our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners, whose work demonstrates the extraordinary power of art and design to transform lives, strengthen communities, and address the challenges of our time. As I mark my fifth year as president of MassArt, I am filled with gratitude for all we have accomplished together and optimism for what lies ahead. These past five years have been a period of remarkable momentum at MassArt. Before our next annual President’s Report, I wanted to share a snapshot of the progress taking place across campus: together, we have expanded opportunities for student success, advanced innovation and entrepreneurship, strengthened community partnerships, and continued preparing graduates for success and to lead with creativity, purpose, and compassion. In these pages, you’ll meet students applying design thinking to real-world challenges, faculty pushing the boundaries of creative practice and research, staff ensuring that our students are supported on campus and beyond, alumni making an impact across industries, and partners helping to build a stronger and more vibrant Commonwealth. As we look ahead, our mission remains clear: to provide an exceptional, accessible education that empowers artists, designers, educators, entrepreneurs, and creative leaders to make a meaningful difference. Together, we are shaping a future where art and design fuel opportunity, impact our economy, enrich communities, drive progress, and serve the public good. Thank you for being part of the MassArt community and for your continued belief in what art and design can accomplish. Your support makes this work possible, and I look forward to all we will achieve together. With gratitude,
Mary K. Grant, PhD President, Massachusetts College of Art and Design 3
Innovation and Entrepreneurship: A DRIVING FORCE AT MASSART
Design Innovation at MassArt: CULTIVATING CREATIVE LEADERS TO REIMAGINE WHAT’S POSSIBLE In a time when complexity is the norm and change moves at lightning speed, design has become a powerful force for transformation — not just in products and services, but in how we think, lead, and shape the world. At MassArt, the Design Innovation graduate program equips creative professionals to lead organizational and social transformation. Motivated by a desire to bridge creative practice and real-world challenges, Industrial Design Chair and Professor Jamie Read helped create a program that combines design and human-centered needs. Ten years later, the STEM-certified program continues to evolve, anchored in interdisciplinary rigor and fueled by a deep commitment to the public good. Program Director Ben Little is a dynamic leader with a diverse background as an ethnomusicologist, data strategist, UX researcher, and product development expert. His philosophy is simple but profound: tools come and go, but the ability to make thoughtful, ethical, and human-centered decisions is what sets great designers apart.
“More than ever, we need that spark of humanity in our decision-making,” Little explains. “Our students need to understand people, systems, and futures all at once.”
We don’t teach tools; we teach principles. Tools evolve, but the need for deliberate decision-making in complex systems endures.” - Ben Little, Program Director, Master of Design Innovation
Made up of a distinctive cohort of early to midcareer professionals eager to deepen design’s role in their leadership, many participants are working creatives, architects, or industrial designers. The program itself is a living lab, emphasizing fluency in both creative and analytical modes of thinking. At its heart, Design Innovation at MassArt is about impact. Many graduates go on to lead UX, innovation, and product teams across healthcare, education, government, and nonprofits — fields where design touches lives and shifts systems. Graduates leave not with a formula, but with a mindset: a readiness to prototype, to pivot, to ask better questions, and to design with purpose.
DISCOVER MORE AT MASSART.EDU/DESIGN-INNOVATION 4
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Taarini Das MDes ’26: APPLYING CREATIVE PRACTICE TO GOVERNMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
As a student in MassArt’s Master of Design in Design Innovation (MDes) program, Taarini Das focused on using design research and systems thinking to address public and organizational challenges through human-centered problem solving. In 2025, Das completed internships with the Massachusetts Department of Energy and the City of Boston’s Department of New Urban Mechanics, applying service design methods to public-sector projects. Her projects included producing infographics and visual explainers that translated complex government initiatives into accessible, plain-language formats for Boston residents, showing that design can transform technical information and institutional systems into more accessible and usable experiences for diverse communities. The experience reflected the core mission of MassArt’s MDes program, which prepares designers to work at the intersection of innovation, equity, and public impact. Through research-driven design practice, Das developed skills in visualization, systems mapping, and user-centered strategy for civic and service environments.
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Alumnus and Netflix Executive Dave Schlafman BFA ’04 SIM: DESIGNING THE FUTURE OF INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT
From founding the award-winning CloudKid Studios to creating content for networks like Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and PBS Kids and his current role as director of design for games at Netflix, MassArt alumnus and Innovation Advisory Council member Dave Schlafman has done it all in the game design world, and he now leads a team of designers shaping the future of interactive entertainment. MassArt welcomed Dave to campus in 2025 to talk with Animation and Studio for Interrelated Media (SIM) students about his career path, and he had much to share about his MassArt experience and the lessons he’s learned in the design industry:
“At MassArt, there were so many talented people doing amazing work that I just wanted to be part of it. I dove into my assignments — I was expected to create something out of nothing, and it felt like real life alchemy. SIM was a community of artists all working in wildly different ways, but with a shared sense of curiosity and possibility. It prepared me to work in a world where content and context are constantly shifting, and where wearing many hats isn’t the exception, it’s the norm.” 7
Normal Art: ADVANCING CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP AT MASSART Innovation at MassArt extends beyond the studio to preparing students to build sustainable careers in the arts and creative industries. Through the student-run Normal Art brand, students and alumni develop entrepreneurship skills while producing products made by artists, for artists. Developed through the Design for Consumers studio elective, the program invites students across disciplines to participate in product ideation, design, and development, supporting MassArt’s recently created Creative Industries Minor by helping students translate creative practice into entrepreneurial fluency.
The MassArt Innovation Advisory Council: WHERE CREATIVITY MEETS INDUSTRY The MassArt Innovation Advisory Council brings together influential leaders from the business world, the creative community, and civic life to support MassArt’s mission, elevate art and design skills, and strengthen the economy. The Council provides strategic guidance, helps identify emerging industry trends, and fosters partnerships that create new opportunities for students, faculty, and alumni.
MassArt is the first art and design school to hold membership in the Student Run Business Association. The program’s recent expansion, with a student-designed vending machine in 2025, reflects the inventive spirit of the brand. Located in the Design and Media Center Atrium, the vending machine showcases student-made products alongside
small design objects and resources that celebrate creative culture. The project was championed by student leaders including former CEO Angel Guo BFA ’25 Fashion Design and CMO Colin Swiliski BFA ’25 Fashion Design. Visiting lecturer Sarah Dudek BFA ’03 Photography, who teaches Intro to Creative Entrepreneurship and Design for Consumers and operates the creative business Indestructible Food, brings professional entrepreneurial practice into the classroom. The growth of Normal Art has been supported by private philanthropy, including the leadership of MassArt Foundation Director Emeritus Charles Jobson, whose investment in entrepreneurship programming has helped the College expand opportunities for student innovation and business development. Normal Art reflects MassArt’s vision of creative entrepreneurship — preparing students not only to participate in the creative economy, but to help shape its future.
The Council includes leaders such as Brian Collins BFA ’82, co-founder of award-winning transformation agency COLLINS; JD Chesloff, president and CEO of MA Business Roundtable; Tamara Small, CEO of the Massachusetts chapter of the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (CREDA MA); and leaders from wide-ranging organizations including New Balance, Netflix, Fidelity, MassChallenge, Harvard Medical School, and MassCreative. Together, council members help advance experiential learning, support innovation and entrepreneurship, and champion the essential role artists and designers play in solving complex challenges and fueling the Massachusetts economy. Through the MassArt Innovation Advisory Council, the College continues to build meaningful connections between the classroom and the industries where creativity is shaping the future.
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Strengthening the Student Journey: A UNIFIED APPROACH TO SUCCESS AND ENROLLMENT In 2025, MassArt established the Division of Student Success and Enrollment Management, uniting the College’s Admissions and Student Development teams within a cohesive, student-centered framework. A crucial step in enacting MassArt’s strategic plan, this integrated model supports the full arc of the student experience — from initial introduction to the College through graduation and beyond — while strengthening alignment across recruitment, engagement, and support efforts. The new division fosters deeper collaboration across teams. Investments in staffing, organizational structure, and campus spaces, alongside the development of new programs and initiatives, are building on MassArt’s existing strengths. Together, these efforts advance a more connected, responsive approach to supporting students while shaping forward-looking enrollment strategies.
Dr. Corey Zink joined MassArt in 2025 as Vice President of Student Success and Enrollment Management to lead this important work. A dedicated advocate for accessibility in higher education, he brings extensive experience in student-centered leadership and a deep commitment to expanding opportunities for young people.
“Merging these two departments creates opportunities for deeper collaboration and more meaningful conversations about how we support students,” said Zink. “The community at MassArt stands out from anywhere I’ve worked. Our staff are truly engaged with our students, and I’m excited to build on that passion and creativity to think boldly about the strategies and solutions that will have the greatest impact.” Looking ahead, the division is focused on strengthening the student experience through enhanced orientation programs, improved digital platforms, coordinated events and communications, and refreshed marketing materials that better reflect the vibrant MassArt community. These efforts will help ensure that students feel supported, informed, and connected throughout their time here. “I believe deeply in the power of higher education, and my colleagues in Student Success and Enrollment Management demonstrate that belief each day,” Zink reflected. “An education at MassArt opens up extraordinary creative possibilities, and potential to improve the world for the better. I’m proud to support the College’s mission to provide an inclusive, affordable, and transformative education in art and design.” Dr. Corey Zink
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A Legacy of Leadership and Care: CELEBRATING MAUREEN KEEFE
Glassblowing isn’t a solo career path, so having a community at MassArt is setting us up for success… we’re sharing ideas, sharing resources, sharing techniques.”
The achievements of MassArt’s student success initiatives are deeply rooted in the visionary leadership of Maureen Keefe, who retired in summer of 2026 after more than two decades guiding studentfocused work at the College. During her 20-year tenure as Vice President of Student Development, Keefe played a transformative role in shaping a more connected, supportive campus culture while advancing student development across every stage of the MassArt experience.
- Elise Riddell BFA ’26 Glass
Elise Riddell BFA ’26: SHAPING A FUTURE IN GLASS From the moment she first toured MassArt, glass artist Elise Riddell knew she had found both a creative home and a supportive community in which to pursue her lifelong passion for the arts. “I saw someone making a glass pumpkin, and that moment sealed it for me,” she recalls. “Soon after, I received my acceptance letter and scholarship.” Elise fully embraced her time at MassArt. She served on the Student Government Association, curated student exhibitions, and secured a highly competitive internship at the Corning Museum of Glass. These experiences expanded both her creative practice and professional trajectory. Looking ahead, Elise envisions a future as a sculptural glass artist, with aspirations to exhibit and sell her work in galleries. Grounded in both skill and community, she approaches that future with confidence and clarity.
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Keefe was instrumental in expanding residential life through the launch of the Tree House Residence Hall, ensuring that first- and second-year students have access to on-campus housing. She also strengthened academic and personal support systems by integrating academic support into student development, expanding success coaching, and enhancing services for students with diverse learning needs. Keefe also established innovative partnerships with neighboring colleges to
expand counseling services, and founding a dedicated Office of Community Health and Well-being to support a holistic approach to student wellness. Her impact extends beyond programs and infrastructure. Keefe has championed many of MassArt’s most cherished traditions, including the Longwood Bell and Marty the Mastodon, which continue to foster pride and strengthen a shared sense of community. A dedicated mentor and advocate for generations of MassArt students, Keefe continues to maintain strong relationships with many alumni who remain deeply connected to the college. In 2025, she received the prestigious Scott Goodnight Award for Outstanding Performance as a Dean from NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education), the leading professional association for student affairs professionals. Her impact on the MassArt community continues to be felt in the lives of students and alumni alike.
Dean of Students Jamie Costello and Maureen Keefe
We invite you to honor Maureen’s legacy with a contribution to a new first-year student housing fund created in her name. Your gift will help incoming students secure stable housing and begin their MassArt experience on solid ground — building connection, confidence, and a sense of home from day one:
fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/Keefe
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Inspiring Minds: VISITING SPEAKERS ABE MORELL AND RENEÉ C. NEBLETT
MassArt welcomed two remarkable speakers as part of our Fall 2025 lecture series. The Photography Lecture Series honored the legacy of the esteemed artist and Professor Emeritus Abe Morell, whose 27 years of teaching and mentoring at MassArt shaped generations of photographers. Morrell reflected on his artistic evolution and the ideas that continue to inspire his practice. A companion exhibition in the West Tower Lobby featured work by alumni who studied and worked with him, highlighting the creative lineage he helped cultivate.
Abe Morrell
MassArt Activities Council Celebrates 25 Years The MassArt Activities Council (MAC) marked its 25th anniversary in 2025, celebrating a quarter-century of student leadership and campus engagement. Since its founding, MAC has been central to student life, creating programs, events, and spaces where students connect, explore their interests, and feel supported within the college community. MAC events are open to all students across the Colleges of the Fenway, fostering connections beyond MassArt. Over the years, the Council has hosted beloved traditions such as Bingo nights, karaoke, field day, art-making sessions, and other creative, community-building programs that bring energy and joy to campus life.
Reneé C. Neblett
The 2025 Tyrone Maurice Adderley Lecture featured the dynamic Reneé C. Neblett, CEO & Creative Director of the Kokrobitey Institute in Ghana. Neblett shared her powerful story of establishing a global, intercultural learning community rooted in social justice, environmental stewardship, and the arts, providing a profound reminder of how creativity and commitment can shape transformative educational spaces. Both events celebrated the impact of visionary artists and educators, inspiring students and community members alike to explore the intersection of art, community, and social change.
The anniversary celebration brought together alumni, former MAC leaders, and current students to honor this legacy. Through the Executive Board, students gain leadership experience that complements their academic studies while developing skills in collaboration, event planning, and civic engagement. MAC continues to uphold MassArt’s mission and values, offering inclusive programs that connect students, foster creativity, and strengthen the campus community.
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Global Perspective: MASSART AROUND THE WORLD
We build playgrounds and social spaces all over the world for kids who are in trauma because of war, because of climate, or because of migration. We’re interviewing the people there on what they want for their community.” - Patricia Seitz, Co-Founder, GDIRC, and Chair of Architecture at MassArt
Architecture Chair Patricia Seitz: PLAYGROUNDS BUILT FOR HEALING AND JOY
From Boston to Korea: STUDENT JASMINE MATOS’
MassArt Architecture Chair Patricia Seitz has long been active in creating spaces of oasis in outdoor urban settings, from gathering areas to garden structures, through the MassArt Community Build program. The ambition, level, and scale of these projects varies, but all provide valuable experiences in building to meet a community need. Her recent project is even more far reaching: she is co-founder of the Global Design Initiative for Refugee Children (GDIRC), a program that creates portable playgrounds for children in refugee camps and conflict zones, addressing a critical yet often overlooked need: safe spaces to play. Designed in Boston and built around the world — from Lebanon to the US-Mexico
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border — the playgrounds provide displaced children with moments of respite, healing, and joy in their turbulent lives. The Global Design Initiative for Refugee Children was formed by members of Boston’s design community in 2016 in response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis, to address gaps in humanitarian aid through thoughtful design. Their mission evolved into designing communal playspaces for refugee families and children living in temporary encampments across the globe and in at-risk communities in the US. One of the GDIRC’s latest projects is Portable Play, a collaboration with the European Cultural Center, which was displayed in 2025 at the Time Space Existence exhibit in Venice, Italy.
PASSION FOR ART AND ADVENTURE
MassArt student Jasmine Matos BFA ’27 Ceramics has always been fascinated by Asian culture and interested in traveling. She explored multiple paths at MassArt before discovering ceramics. “I took a Japanese ceramics course, and it just clicked,” she explains. Her work now blends East Asian influences, her Puerto Rican heritage, and even Mexican papercutting techniques, creating pieces that are both personal and culturally rich. Travel has continued to shape her education. Studying abroad in Korea in 2025, she learned wheel-throwing and woodworking under demanding instructors, experiences that taught patience and skill. Studying abroad “helped me broaden my horizons more,” she says, “and expanded my art making and who I am as a person.” A MassArt travel course in Japan and another to Ireland have further inspired her creative process. Support from MassArt’s Compass program for first generation students has also been crucial. “It feels like a small family,” she says. “Whenever I’m struggling, I can go there and feel supported.” With Jasmine and her passion for travel, art and adventure go hand in hand. From navigating setbacks to exploring the world and honing her artistic practice, she has discovered both her artistic voice and her resilience. 17
Community Engagement and Civic Impact
MassArt collaborates with Haley House for their annual Souper Bowl fundraiser
MassArt staff and volunteers attend the Roxbury Sunflower Project Garden Party with sparc! the ArtMobile
At MassArt, community engagement is more than a set of programs; it’s an expression of our mission and identity as a public art and design college. From classrooms and studios to city streets and parks, we connect creative practice with community priorities through sustained collaboration, deep listening, and participatory learning.
Civic and Community Engagement: CENTERING COMMUNITY AND CIVIC LIFE MassArt’s model of civic engagement is rooted in the belief that creative practice and civic life are inseparable. Through rigorous studio training and communityrooted partnerships, students, faculty, and staff collaborate with nonprofits, cultural institutions, schools, and neighborhood groups to co-create art, design solutions, and experiences that strengthen local communities. The arts serve not as an addition, but as a catalyst for dialogue, reflection, and shared problem-solving. The College’s Civic and Community Engagement (CCE) division plays a central role in shaping this work. CCE, which also houses the Justice, Equity & Transformation (JET) Office and the Center for Art & Community Partnerships (CACP), coordinates 18
initiatives that embed equity, inclusion, and social responsibility into all aspects of civic engagement. In April 2025, CCE shared MassArt’s approach nationally at Campus Compact’s Compact25 Conference in Atlanta. Their interactive session, “Weaving Together Our Voices: Intersections of Creative and Civic Engagement,” highlighted how MassArt unifies diverse civic initiatives around shared values, broadens participation, and centers equity in collaborative work.
Illuminating Public Engagement in Watertown As dusk settled over Watertown’s Sullivan Park in fall 2025, light began to move, slowly shifting across trees, pathways, and sculptural forms. The Light Between, a public installation created by students in Professor Elaine Buckholtz’s Investigations in Light course, transformed the park into a space for reflection and discovery. Using innovative lighting and materials, students reimagined the familiar landscape as a dynamic, contemplative environment — an applied exploration of light as both artistic medium and tool for public engagement. Students designed a series of light-based sculptures responsive to the landscape and to visitors moving through it. Subtle programming allowed the installation to shift throughout the evening, creating moments of glow, shadow, and quiet spectacle. A light installation artist with more than two decades of experience — including collaborations with visionary performing artists Meredith Monk and Merce Cunningham — Buckholtz encourages students to question form and reimagine space. With The Light Between, students worked at the intersection of technology, environment, and community, using light to transform how the public experiences a shared landscape.
Through initiatives with organizations such as Haley House, the Du Bois Freedom Center, and Boston Public Schools, CCE demonstrates how creative practice can advance social impact, cultivate resilience, and sustain meaningful, locally grounded partnerships across Boston and the Commonwealth. 19
Words of Wisdom from Commencement Speaker Brian Collins BFA ’82
Brian Collins and Trustee Karen M. Keane
Collins argued that while problem-solving is practical, “problem-seeking” is expansive and brimming with possibility. He encouraged artists to ask deeper questions rather than just trying to fix what is currently wrong, to view their craft not merely as the physical or digital objects they create, but as the transformational futures they can build for society.
MassArt Celebrated 2025 Graduates and Honored Visionary Leaders Surrounded by family, friends, and faculty at MassArt’s May 2025 Commencement, our graduates were met with cheers, happy tears, and a deep sense of pride as they marked this major milestone. Peter Nessen received the 2025 Morton R. Godine Award for Service to the Community, honoring his decades of leadership in public service, education, and philanthropy. Nessen served in the administrations of four Massachusetts Governors and had just wrapped up a decade of service as a MassArt Trustee. MassArt also proudly conferred honorary degrees on three visionary leaders: Commencement speaker and distinguished alumnus Brian Collins BFA ’82, co-founder of COLLINS; Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, past Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts; and Hank Willis Thomas, the conceptual artist and designer of ‘The Embrace’ monument. 20
Peter Nessen and President Mary K. Grant
These four extraordinary individuals were recognized for contributions that exemplify MassArt’s values and were wonderful examples for our graduates of the many ways they can use their MassArt education to change perspectives, power movements, and create new paths forward.
Honorary Degree recipient and 2025 commencement speaker Brian Collins BFA ’82 encouraged our students to embrace their peripheral vision, saying that by seeking out new perspectives and embracing the unknown, creatives can spot hidden opportunities and pivot successfully during crises.
Brian Collins, Maria Rosario Jackson, President Mary K. Grant, Peter Nessen, and Hank Willis Thomas
Over the last eight years, his agency COLLINS has been named Design Agency of the Year by both AdAge and D&AD in London, including Business Transformation Agency of the Year.
Your imagination is not some charming personal quirk. It is your credential. It is what separates you from everyone else. It will get you into rooms that should not, on paper, want you there. Enter anyway. Bring your curiosity, your courage, and your ability to see possibilities where others see limitations. Design is not what we make. Design is what we make possible.” - Brian Collins BFA ’82, MassArt 2025 Commencement BP Helios House, Los Angeles Designed by Brian Collins
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From Left to Right: Kate Gilbert, Lisa Simmons, Alison Simmons, President Mary K. Grant, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, Marquis Victor, Sarah Richards, Tracy Silva Barbosa, and Kris Moran
Andy Li, Today is The Day, 2025
2025 Common Good Awards: HONORING INSPIRING ARTISTS, EDUCATORS, AND ADVOCATES DRIVING POSITIVE CHANGE
MassArt celebrated the third annual Common Good Awards, recognizing artists, educators, and cultural leaders whose work demonstrates the transformative power of art and design in civic life across the Commonwealth and beyond. The recipients reflected the diversity of creative practices that contribute to building stronger, more inclusive communities. This moving and joyful event included heartfelt tributes from President Mary K. Grant, inspiring words from Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, and uplifting speeches from each of our honorees. In addition to their recognition, honorees also received a custom-made piece by Alison Layton, BFA ’06 Jewelry & Metalsmithing, who creates objects and immersive sculptural environments inspired by the natural world. 22
MassArt Inspired Boston Through the 2025 Public Art Triennial
Kris Moran BFA ’89, recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award, designer and longtime set decorator and collaborator on Wes Anderson’s films.
Sarah Richards BFA ’96, recipient of the Frances Euphemia Thompson Award for Excellence in Teaching, Director of Art K–12 for Brockton Public Schools, supporting more than 15,000 students and 29 educators across 22 schools.
MassArt played a leading role in the 2025 Boston Public Art Triennial: The Exchange, one of the city’s most ambitious public art initiatives, which transformed Boston into a vibrant canvas, celebrating the power of art to connect communities and spark new perspectives.
Tracy Silva Barbosa BFA ’99, multimedia artist, designer, and founder of Duende Studio, based in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
Nicholas Galanin, Aáni yéi xat duwasáakw (I am called Land), 2025
Kate Gilbert, Founder and Executive Director of the Boston Public Art Triennial and a champion of transforming public spaces through bold contemporary art.
Lisa Simmons & Alison Simmons, the “Cinematic Sisters” and the Artistic & Executive Director and Co-Director of the Roxbury International Film Festival, New England’s largest festival celebrating people of color.
Together, these contributions demonstrated how MassArt continues to shape the cultural life of Boston, advancing creativity as a force for connection, civic engagement, and positive change.
Marquis Victor, the Founder and Executive Director of Elevated Thought, a creative youth development organization rooted in art and social justice.
The MassArt Art Museum (MAAM) commissioned a major installation by acclaimed artist Nicholas Galanin, while MassArt alumni and faculty contributed thought-provoking works that invited conversation and reflection. MassArt-affiliated participants included Triennial Accelerator artists Andy Li BFA ’12 and Evelyn Rydz (Studio Foundation Program Area Chair), Gabriel Sosa (Art Education faculty), Stephen Hamilton BFA ‘09 (Illustration faculty), and it was curated by Tess Lukey BFA ’16 with Artistic Director Pedro Alonzo.
Stephen Hamilton, Under the Spider’s Web + Oruku Pe
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