Introduction........................................................ 2 Shaping Innovation............................................. 7 President Frances Bronet shares her thoughts on the World Makers campaign Life-Changing Opportunities........................... 8 Student Success Elevating Our Faculty....................................... 22 Faculty Success All Systems Go..................................................36 Infrastructure Built To Last....................................................... 50 Capital Projects Pratt At A Glance............................................... 67 Conclusion.........................................................70
Look Out,
World.
Since 1887, Pratt Institute has provided a transformative educational experience for emerging creative professionals whose talents expand our sense of possibility and wonder. Pratt’s world-class reputation reflects our unique capacity to apply creativity in service to the public good across a wide range of disciplines. Led by a faculty of distinguished practitioners and industry leaders, our students tackle complex ideas and pursue bold, inventive solutions—exploring, experimenting, and endlessly revising. At a time when humanity is confronting both monumental challenges and exciting opportunities, the world needs Pratt more than ever. Enter World Makers, the most ambitious fundraising campaign in Pratt’s history. This visionary initiative is laser-focused on strategic priorities that will deliver vital support to our students, elevate our world-class faculty, and take our New York City campuses into the next era. This campaign will build on our foundational strengths, and forge a Pratt that is more accessible, resilient, and sustainable than ever.
Pratt’s School of Design woodshop is a 6,000-square-foot facility with equipment that specializes in woodworking, joining, planing, sanding, drilling, mold making, plastics, and resin work.
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We’ve been transforming the world since 1887. Pratt Institute was founded to provide an affordable college education to all—regardless of class, race, or gender—so that graduates could apply their skills toward successful careers in the industrial economy. As early as 1888, Pratt was described as “the most important enterprise of its kind in the country, if not the world” by Scientific American. We continue to thrive in an increasingly digital world by marrying technology and creativity to produce imaginative, striking, and purposeful work.
Accelerated impact.
Many art and design schools have faced significant hurdles in recent years; some have even closed their doors. Pratt has continued to flourish thanks to our clear focus, high-quality offerings, and the ability to pivot with the times while staying true to our mission. With a goal of $100 million, World Makers will focus on making Pratt even more accessible, resilient, and sustainable by: z Elevating the student experience through the
expansion of financial aid, scholarship, and internship programs
z Fueling faculty success through resources
that enable us to celebrate and empower our dedicated teacher-practitioners—from endowed chairs and support for professional development to the strengthening of our research enterprise
z Delivering vital improvements to our
infrastructure through technology enhancements and revitalized classrooms, maker spaces, convening spaces, and studios
z Funding capital projects that strengthen
our competitive standing and help attract promising students and top-tier faculty
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Pratt’s Metal Shop and discipline have been a core part of our curriculum since our founding in 1887.
Bold Legacy. New Chapter.
Frances Bronet, the 12th president of Pratt Institute
Shaping Innovation President Frances Bronet shares her thoughts on the World Makers campaign. What does the phrase World Makers mean to you? First and foremost, it’s about our students, who pursue courageous ideas, imagine bold futures, act responsibly, and work incredibly hard. World Makers encompasses both the power of their individual creative visions and the impact they manifest across disciplines, in their communities, and throughout the world. Our theme also celebrates everyone in the Pratt community who contributes to the challenging, rigorous environment here—the faculty, staff, alumni, families, and donors who support students’ efforts to make their way in the world. How will the campaign elevate Pratt as an institution? We’ve structured the campaign to align with the vision articulated in Setting the Standard, our strategic plan, which focuses on sustaining our leadership among creative institutions by advancing Pratt’s academic innovation, financial health, and institutional resilience. Achieving that vision will require philanthropic investments that make a Pratt education more accessible, strengthen the level of support for our faculty, and enhance our campus in ways that foster creative excellence.
How does World Makers honor Pratt’s legacy while positioning the Institute for the future? Pratt was founded at the onset of the Second Industrial Revolution to provide a highquality creative education for working-class students. Charles Pratt’s original vision was both radical and extremely durable: it lives on in our current mission, which centers on educating the artists and creative professionals whose innovative spirit shapes the world we live in as resourceful and compassionate global problem solvers. The advent of AI signals the onset of another potential revolution—and Pratt is at the forefront of exploring how those new technologies can be ethically and responsibly applied to enhance our students’ creativity. At the same time, Pratt holds fast to its emphasis on the tactile, emotional, and social aspects of the creative process: if you’re going to be a World Maker, you have to be conscious of the impact your creativity has on the physical world. How is Pratt unique? Our location is a big part of that. We’re in a world-class city that’s one of the leading centers of the global creative
economy. The creative explosion that’s taken place in Brooklyn has positioned us to lead in providing students with a cutting-edge education in the beautiful environment of a campus and public sculpture garden. Pratt is anchored in the real world. Because our faculty members are also renowned practitioners, they draw on their own experiences as they prepare students for success in creative fields. Their journeys are shared; they prepare our students and create paths to practice. How is the campaign personal for you? When I’m out in the world, people say things like, “I love your students. When they are sent out on a job, they know what to do—they have incredible confidence, enough to actually be able to ask if they don’t know something—and they know a lot.” That’s a great benefit of being a school focused on practice. I remember a conversation I had with a student I encountered on campus who was continuously smiling. When I asked her why, she replied, “I’ve finally found a place where I don’t have to explain myself.” That’s what World Makers is all about. 7
Work by Hannah Blake, BFA Fine Arts (Jewelry) ’27, Catbird Scholar in Jewelry Arts
LifeChanging Opportunities
Support for the campaign will expand our capacity to unlock a world of possibility for students. During their time here, students refine their skills, shape and explore new ideas, and produce elegant, unexpected, and effective work that ignites beauty and benefits humanity. World Makers will advance our ability to make these life-changing experiences accessible to more students and families, deliver an even more enriching educational experience, and strengthen the support alumni receive after graduation. Financial aid programs play a pivotal role in the life of individual students and the Institute as a whole. Donors can support World Makers through gifts to undergraduate scholarships that cover full tuition and related expenses for exceptionally promising students with high need, as well as graduate-level merit scholarships for those pursuing advanced degrees.
Donations to World Makers can also be directed to funds that help students of all backgrounds persist, graduate, and thrive. z Investments in wraparound aid enable
students with limited means to benefit more fully from their Pratt experience—from internships to study abroad opportunities.
z Finish line support helps them surmount
academic, administrative, and financial barriers that may jeopardize their ability to graduate.
z Gifts to emergency funds promote equity
and help students access resources that keep them focused on their studies—from filling the campus food pantry to defraying the cost of materials and supplies.
z Support for alumni programs fosters lifelong
connections to Pratt and strengthens our graduates’ professional networks.
STUDENT SUCCESS
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This page: Work from Undergraduate Architecture Design Studio Final Reviews 2024 Opposite: Kathryn Chenault, World Makers Campaign co-chair and trustee
Investing in Hope
Kathryn Chenault
World Makers Campaign Co-Chair Trustee Hon. ’12
World Makers Co-Chair and Trustee Kathryn Chenault has dedicated herself to expanding opportunities for young people. Since 2020, Kathryn and her husband, Kenneth, the former CEO of the American Express Company, have funded the Chenault Scholarships at Pratt to support high-achieving undergraduate students pursuing careers in architecture. “I come from a long line of architects; my father and his sisters were all architects, and my grandfather designedthe footprint of Howard University’s campus, including the library, among other HBCUs. It was challenging for them to be architects of color during their time,” she says. “Today, there’s a shortage of Black architects in the field; I take pride in supporting the next generation.”
“Every year, these students inspire me through their excitement, their determination, and their desire to learn more,” Kathryn continues. “Their optimism gives me hope for the future. Pratt is an inspiring place filled with resilient, extraordinary talents like these scholars, and I’m proud to further the Institute’s mission through the World Makers campaign.”
Opposite left: East Hall Plaza was recently redesigned as part of Pratt’s larger sustainability commitment, and the replacement of the boilers located below the plaza significantly reduced campuswide energy consumption.
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Opposite right: Fatoumata Diallo, BArch ’25, one of the inaugural Chenault Scholars, speaking at Pratt’s 2025 Scholarship Luncheon
A Life-Changing Opportunity Fatoumata Diallo BArch ’25 When Fatoumata Diallo, BArch ’25, learned she had received the Chenault Scholarship, she was sitting with her mother at their kitchen table. She recalls both of them absorbing the news over Zoom. “It was the first time my mom had been on Zoom, and I’m sure it was her best time,” Fatoumata says. “Finding out that I was awarded the Chenault Scholarship, and that I wouldn’t have to worry about school financially, was a dream come true. The scholarship not only changed my life—it changed my mom’s perspective on what was possible for me. She now encourages me to take risks and follow my dreams. Mrs. Chenault attended my graduation last year; it was a full circle moment to have the person who made it all possible congratulating me at the finish line.”
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Every year, these students inspire me through their excitement, their determination, and their desire to learn more. Their optimism gives me hope for the future.
Kathryn Chenault
World Makers Campaign Co-Chair Trustee Hon. ’12
Work by Saanvi Soni and Saori Takahashi, BArch ’26
This page: Work by Derrick Adams, Taking it on the Road, 2023, acrylic and fabric collage on wood panel, 60 × 48 inches Opposite: Derrick Adams, BFA Art and Design Education ’96, trustee, photo by Schaun Champion
Inspiration Across Generations
Derrick Adams
BFA Art and Design Education ’96 Trustee
During his first semester of community college, Derrick Adams came across a book of paintings that stopped him in his tracks. “I was discovering myself as a young artist, and the work just spoke to me,” Derrick remembers. “I flipped to the back and saw that the artist was Jacob Lawrence, and that he was a teacher at Pratt. I knew immediately where I needed to study.” Lawrence, one of the most prominent Black artists of his time, was no longer at Pratt when Derrick arrived. However, during Derrick’s junior year, Lawrence returned to the Institute for Commencement, and Derrick was asked to escort him and his wife around campus. That fateful meeting led to a relationship that continued the rest of Lawrence’s life, and culminated in Jacob’s Ladder, a mixed-media installation by Derrick that was included in a 2020 exhibition memorializing the artist at the Peabody Essex Museum.
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Now a renowned multidisciplinary artist, Derrick continues to explore the joys and everyday occurrences of Black life through works that have been widely exhibited nationally and globally. As a Pratt trustee, he remains active in the community, and his nearby Brooklyn studio is a magnet for young artists. “Investing in a creative education is more important than ever,” he notes. “Generations of artists like me have found their way to Pratt. It’s exciting to know that the World Makers campaign includes investments in the spaces where students will continue to learn, challenge each other, and realize something entirely new.”
Work by Derrick Adams, Only Happy Thoughts, 2024, acrylic paint and fabric on panel, 60 × 60 inches
A Brooklyn Legacy
Ted Shaine Trustee BFA ’68 Hon. ’26
From art directing a Pizza Hut commercial starring Mikhail Gorbachev to exhibiting his work in MoMA’s permanent collection, as well as an Emmy nomination for a famous FedEx ad, Ted Shaine has led a long and storied career— one he traces back to his formative years at Pratt. “This place changed my life,” he explains. “My hope now is to make a positive difference for others.” As a teenager growing up in Brooklyn, Ted’s love of the arts began when he met Leon Friend, his high school graphic design teacher. “He ignited a creative passion in me,” Ted recalls. “I started going to school at 5:30 in the morning, six days a week, so I could learn everything I could from him about printmaking.” Friend
encouraged Ted to enroll in Pratt’s Saturday Art School program; Ted was subsequently awarded a scholarship to the Institute. “My Pratt education motivated me to be the best artist I could be,” Ted says. “It paved a way to a rewarding life in art and advertising, and I couldn’t be more grateful.” Ted’s gratitude to both Pratt and his mentor is commemorated by the scholarship he has endowed in Friend’s name for students from Brooklyn. That show of support is deeply personal. “The scholarship recipients write to me each year,” Ted says. “Reading those letters is incredibly emotional for me— especially when someone tells me they’re the first in their family to go to college.”
This page: Ted Shaine, BFA ’68, trustee, Hon. ’26
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Opposite: Pratt’s annual MFA Open Studios welcomes the public into the graduate studios, offering an opportunity for the artists to share their processes, meet new potential collectors, and celebrate their creative accomplishments.
Pratt has 1,988 dedicated faculty and staff members who teach and support students across art, architecture, design, liberal arts and sciences, and information programs.
Elevating Our Faculty
The commitment of Pratt’s faculty members lies at the heart of the Institute’s success. Pratt teachers not only inspire the next generation of creative thinkers but also work as active practitioners with successful careers in their respective fields. When you invest in our faculty, you also invest in the students who learn from them and the organizations that benefit from their creativity. Excellent teaching is strengthened through strategic investment. By supporting how faculty inspire and motivate their students, donors take teaching at Pratt to new heights through gifts that fund endowed faculty positions and chairs, extend the reach of our groundbreaking Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), and advance our research enterprise.
A lasting mark.
Endowed chairs and professorships reflect an institution’s commitment to world-class teaching. Named chairs and professorships will strengthen Pratt’s capacity to keep recruiting accomplished, world-class faculty members who affirm and sustain Pratt’s leadership.
Ideas at work.
Pratt’s CTL is one of the nation’s leading academic centers focused on advancing pedagogy and innovation in art and design education. Support for World Makers will further the CTL’s ongoing efforts to promote thought leadership at Pratt and further strengthen our academic programs by broadening pedagogical conversations amongst faculty.
Bold exploration.
Pratt’s research enterprise plays an essential role in strengthening our institutional reputation. In recent years, our capabilities have expanded significantly through initiatives such as the IDC Research Accelerator Hub, which provides dedicated spaces for socially beneficial and commercially viable projects. Support for the campaign will also provide seed funding for groundbreaking, ambitious research initiatives at our renowned Research Yard and other campus locations.
FACULTY SUCCESS
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This page: Work by Jiaying Tang, BFA Fashion Design ’26 Opposite: Byron Lars, Jane B. Nord Professor of Fashion Design
Endowing Excellence
Byron Lars
Jane B. Nord Professor of Fashion Design Byron Lars is a renowned fashion designer whose clients have included Michelle Obama, Angela Bassett, and Mattel. His career expanded into teaching when he was named Pratt’s Jane B. Nord Professor of Fashion Design. “Part of Pratt’s reputation comes from an emphasis on having established practitioners serve as faculty members,” he explains. “Even though I hadn’t taught before, the endowed chair created an opportunity to apply my years of professional and business experience in ways that would benefit young designers. I fell in love with being in the classroom almost immediately.”
Byron is deeply grateful for the opportunity to help shape emerging designers while collaborating with and learning from his Pratt colleagues. “It’s amazing to think that Jane, who attended Pratt in the 1940s, has created this amazing resource that will benefit Pratt students and faculty far into the future,” says Byron. “Having additional endowed chairs at Pratt would make a tremendously positive impact.”
Established through the generosity of alumna Jane Nord, the rotating endowed professorship also gives students the opportunity to meet and learn from role models and potential mentors. “I recently had Elena Velez come speak to my students. She’s a young designer who’s already accomplished amazing things—and she’s still close enough to the students’ age that they can relate to her on a personal level,” Byron notes. “Students really appreciate it when you meet them where they are; it’s also gratifying to see them get so enthusiastic about aspects of the business that I may have taken for granted, like the various steps that go into launching a fashion line.” Opposite top: Byron Lars, Jane B. Nord Professor of Fashion Design
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Opposite bottom: Work by Jude Mikulencak, BFA Fashion Design ’25, winner of season 22 of Project Runway, photo by Fernando Colon
Where Artistry and Philanthropy Meet Jane Nord, Art and Design Certificate ’45, Former Professor Esteemed alumna and former faculty member Jane Nord ’45 loves seeing a work come to life, from a draft in a sketchbook to a fully designed dress. Nord, a visionary philanthropist who supports charitable and educational causes in her native Ohio and beyond, earned her costume design certificate at Pratt and went on to teach color theory and other classes at the Institute. Today, she continues to invest in the creativity of current and future students. She established the Jane B. Nord Professor of Fashion Design to cultivate the next generation of designers by supporting Pratt’s fashion faculty. “With this endowed professorship, I am pleased that my valuable experience at Pratt and my commitment to art education offers new opportunities to emerging academic leaders in the field,” says Nord. The $3.5 million investment is a rotating position for visionary fashion educators and celebrates a creative educator who is active in the greater world of fashion and connects Pratt students to its professional leaders. The professorship is part of the Nord family’s enduring and longtime support of the Institute, including the Eric and Jane Nord Family Endowed Internship Fund, a $5 million endowment created by the Nord family in 2024.
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art of Pratt’s P reputation comes from an emphasis on having established practitioners serve as faculty members.
Byron Lars
Jane B. Nord Professor of Fashion Design
Opposite: Work by Shannon Bollin, BFA Fashion Design ’26
This page: AquaSteady as net photographed at Early Girl Farm, Brookhaven, NY, photo by Ameera Albalawi and Matilda Marsh Opposite: Cindie Kehlet, professor, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Seaweed Solution
Cindie Kehlet
Professor, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences; AquaSteady Research Hub Lead in the Center for Environmental Research “It would be wonderful if something from the ocean could help the land.” That’s how Cindie Kehlet, a Pratt professor and AquaSteady Research Hub Lead in the Center for Environmental Research, describes the potential of AquaSteady, a seaweed-based hydrogel that has the ability to retain large amounts of water and release it slowly over time. With funding from the National Science Foundation, Cindie is studying how AquaSteady can keep soil hydrated during extended periods of drought by capturing water from rainfall or irrigation. Her hope is that the material could dramatically improve water management in agriculture, helping to mitigate the impact of climate change on food security.
Cindie’s background as both a dedicated researcher and studio-trained fine artist makes her a natural leader for the AquaSteady effort. “Pratt is a place that marries creativity with professional practice; we maintain a focus on the practical and social benefits of our research,” she explains. “The AquaSteady initiative demonstrates the positive impact of interdisciplinary partnerships that bring together scientists, designers, and farmers to develop nature-based solutions to an urgent problem.” “Projects like these can’t happen without funding,” notes Cindie. “Donor generosity shows the world how Pratt is a place that shapes essential solutions for our planet’s future needs.”
Opposite top: The AquaSteady team discussing planting at Early Girl Farm, Brookhaven, NY, photo by Ameera Albalawi and Matilda Marsh Opposite center: Entry to Pratt’s Research Yard at the Brooklyn Navy Yard
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Opposite bottom: Exterior of Dock 72, home to Pratt’s 60,000-square-foot facility that includes its Fine Art and Photography MFA programs
Funding Innovation Raymond Savino President, IDC Foundation In 2022, the IDC Foundation awarded a major grant to support the opening of Pratt’s Research Yard in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Today, this leading-edge, 20,000-square-foot facility buzzes with creative energy, as students and faculty pursue projects around topics ranging from the lived experiences of people impacted by housing insecurity to how design can support circular systems of energy and water use in Red Hook. “The IDC Foundation focuses its grantmaking on advancing innovation at the intersection of architecture, engineering, and building construction in New York City,” explains Raymond Savino, the Foundation’s president. “The Pratt community embraces and stimulates collaboration across these fields, which makes it an especially exciting educational institution to support.” Funding from the foundation has played a pivotal role in establishing a strong presence at the Navy Yard for Pratt, which has since expanded to include 100 art studios, seminar and critique spaces, galleries, a computer lab, fabrication shops, and a Performance Lab.
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Donor generosity shows the world how Pratt is a place that shapes essential solutions for our planet’s future needs.
Cindie Kehlet
Professor, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences; AquaSteady Research Hub Lead in the Center for Environmental Research
Work from Pratt’s 2026 Research Open House; A World in a Jar: the Closed-Loop Ecosphere as a Model of Regenerative Infrastructure, Christopher Brokaw, adjunct assistant professor; and Seraphine Brokaw
East Hall, one of the three original buildings from 1887, is undergoing renovations that include replacing the boilers and adding a new ADA-accessible elevator serving all floors, part of a broader effort to improve campus sustainability and accessibility.
All Systems Go
Vital strategic investments in our spaces and systems will bolster critical dimensions of the learning experience. World Makers includes funding to preserve and enhance the extraordinary places we call home, while making our learning and convening spaces more energy-efficient and appealing.
Wellness in action.
Because the health and well-being of our students is inextricably linked to their academic success, gifts to the campaign can support renovations and enhancements at our new Student Wellness Center. This revitalized space provides centralized access to a breadth of essential services—reducing barriers, minimizing stigma, and making it easier for students to receive the support they need at the right time. The building will also serve as a central home for programs currently distributed across campus, including the Resilience, Wellness, and WellBeing Center, a yoga studio, and the food pantry.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Tools of practice.
Today’s students need access to tools that help them create, distribute, and promote their work—both at Pratt and after graduation. Support for World Makers will fund technology enhancements that enable our entire community to share data and information more efficiently, and give students access to the equipment and technologies shaping the world of tomorrow.
Part of the (master) plan.
Strategic infrastructure upgrades are a key dimension of World Makers. These efforts will not only create a more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable environment at Pratt but also bolster our stature and reputation by improving the quality of life on campus and our appeal to prospective families.
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This page: Work by Anna Yarkin, BFA Fine Arts (Painting) ’26 Opposite: Anne Edwards, trustee
A Commitment to Student Wellness
Anne Edwards Trustee
When Trustee Anne Edwards visits Pratt’s campus, she makes time to meet with students and learn about both their needs and their accomplishments. Student wellness is a topic that arises frequently during those conversations. “Because our students are working so hard and juggling multiple responsibilities, it’s critical to provide resources that support their health, wellbeing, and creativity,” she notes. “That’s why it was an honor to support initiatives like the new Student Wellness Center.”
Anne sees her gift to the renewed center as a manifestation of Pratt’s commitment to students’ longterm success. “Pratt was founded during the Industrial Revolution to help students apply their creativity in service to society,” she explains. “We’re now in the midst of another transformational era, with emerging technologies like AI changing how we communicate and create. Pratt students and faculty are leading the charge in applying these technologies to make a positive impact. My hope is that the revitalized Student Wellness Center will provide a space that makes it easier for them to stay healthy, focused, and ready to thrive as they navigate their educational journey.”
Opposite top: Students in the Edwards Family Gathering Space
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Opposite bottom: Pratt students can walk into the newly opened Student Wellness Center for all things health and wellness, from counseling and health care to academic and career support.
Because our students are working so hard, it’s critical to provide resources that support their health, well-being, and creativity.
Anne Edwards Trustee
This page: Mirrored shelves designed by David Dávila, MID ’25, allow Foundations Lab visitors to simultaneously view the interior and exterior of birds’ nests, including eggs. Opposite: Iona Fromboluti, professor emerita, Foundation, trustee; and Doug Wirls, professor emeritus, Foundation
Strong Foundations
Iona Fromboluti
Professor Emerita, Foundation Trustee
Doug Wirls
Professor Emeritus, Foundation “Pratt students truly are World Makers,” says Doug Wirls. “And to shape new worlds, they need to understand the world around them.” In their yearlong Foundation courses, Doug and his wife, Iona Fromboluti, who are both emeritus professors at Pratt, guided multiple generations of first-year Pratt students through the fundamentals of the creative process by incorporating scientific and natural history objects into their curriculum. “The natural world is deeply important to art and design,” Iona explains. “There’s so much for students to learn through physical objects—whether that’s making paints from raw pigments or illustrating an insect collection to better understand anatomy.” After nearly three decades of teaching, Doug and Iona generously gifted their treasure trove of materials to Pratt Institute in 2020—and with the addition of other donations, the collection now consists of more than 1,300 objects that included taxidermy animals, cases of pinned butterflies, and shelves of birds’ nests. Iona and Doug also made a
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significant financial contribution, and with additional support from the Speyer Family Foundation, Pratt was able to establish the Foundations Lab on the fourth floor of the Institute’s Main Building. This beautiful learning and research space now serves hundreds of first-year students and the wider Pratt community. “When a person’s curiosity is easily satisfied, it provides a fast route to a conclusion, but a lot gets missed along the way,” says Iona. “Investing in creative spaces and learning materials that are tactile and tangible helps ensure that Pratt continues to teach students how to further their practice through patience and discipline, and pursue new problems instead of finding easy answers.”
Opposite: Students working in Pratt’s Foundations Lab; Part art studio, part science lab, the innovative space invites students to explore art and nature.
Pratt students truly are World Makers. And to shape new worlds, they need to understand the world around them.
Doug Wirls
Professor Emeritus, Foundation
In Pratt’s Foundations Lab, human skeleton models help artists study anatomy.
Built To Last
Exterior of Pratt’s Main Building, designed in the Romanesque Revival style by architects Lamb & Rich in 1885-87, with porch added in 1894
Major capital improvements will take our creative enterprise— and the Institute— into a new dimension. Ambitious building projects are powerful symbols of an institution’s confidence, viability, and potential. World Makers includes transformative capital investments that will energize Pratt tremendously—providing community members with dynamic spaces where they can bring their diverse ideas, perspectives, and voices together to shape new solutions. Donor support for several highvisibility projects will further strengthen our competitive position, attract promising students and top-tier faculty, and position the Institute to achieve key goals articulated in our strategic plan and campus master plan. These capital projects are more than just construction: they signal our belief that we can build a better world that values imagination, inspiration, and belonging.
Superb studios.
The culture of the studio endures as a fundamental dimension of Pratt’s ethos. It’s where students and faculty members envision new worlds, where they experiment, create, and refine their bold ideas. The reimagining of our painting, drawing, and sculpture studios and dedicated shops, which are currently isolated from one another, will provide a setting
CAPITAL PROJECTS
where students from these disciplines interact intentionally and collaborate readily. These enhancements will support Pratt’s strategies around recruitment and retention—which is currently approximately 90 percent for undergraduates—through improvements that advance our outstanding reputation and help us respond to the growing interest in our fine arts programs.
A place of connection.
Situated in the heart of Pratt’s campus, Memorial Hall has served as a gathering place for the Pratt community since 1927, where luminaries, from Spike Lee to Questlove, have spoken to our students and encouraged their creativity. The hall requires extensive renovation to meet the Institute’s need for a spacious, welcoming, technically agile location conducive to convening, learning, and celebrating. Donor investment will transform Memorial Hall into a state-of-the-art venue buzzing with activity— from hosting large events and functions with partners and friends of the Institute to providing students and faculty with access to professionalgrade facilities for presentations, thesis defenses, screenings, and exhibitions.
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This page: Mickalene Thomas, Installation from All About Love at Les Abbatoirs, 2025, featuring painting November 1950 Opposite: Mickalene Thomas, photo by Chad Kirkland
Investing in Hope
Mickalene Thomas BFA ’00 Trustee
Mickalene Thomas is a worldrenowned visual artist, filmmaker, curator, and educator; a leading voice in contemporary art; a recipient of the Clio Award and Gordon Parks Award; and named as one of the 2025 Time 100 list of the world’s most influential people as an “Innovator.” Mickalene’s Pratt journey began in the late 1990s when she visited during Pride Week. “I immediately fell in love with this campus and the surrounding community,” she says. “The student life was energetic and full of creative culture, Spike Lee’s Joint was down the street, and there was creativity happening in all the cafes. If you wanted to pursue an artist’s life, Brooklyn was the place to be.” After completing her BFA studies, Mickalene earned the distinction of being the first Pratt graduate accepted into the MFA program at the Yale School of Art in over 20 years. “Pratt planned a celebration where they gifted me an easel,” she recalls. “The love I felt for this community was genuine, and it inspired me to stay involved by joining the Board. After graduating from Yale, I returned to establish my practice here because I knew this was a remarkable community at the heart of arts and culture.”
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Today, Mickalene is a pioneering global artist whose work spans multiple disciplines—including mixed-media painting, collage, photography, and installation. Her latest work, All About Love, which honors the agency, beauty, and resilience of Black women, recently opened at the Grand Palais in Paris, making her the first Black person to have a solo exhibition at this historical institution. “I remember honing my artistic voice in Pratt’s studios and classes, and I’m excited to see how World Makers will invest in these vital creative spaces,” she says. “When a student walks into a building on campus, all they should be thinking about is making art, their designs, their artistry, and their collaborations— investing in Pratt’s capital projects is a direct investment in helping students sustain that focus.”
Opposite: Mickalene Thomas, Portrait of Lili #2 (Top Right), 2024
One of our greatest assets is our campus, and a lot of our goals for the campaign are to continue to improve the campus, modernize it, and elevate it to the highest standard. Gary Hattem
MS City Planning ’75 Chair, Board of Trustees
Gary Hattem, MS City Planning ’75, chair, Board of Trustees
This page: Work by Gabriel Hambrick, BArch ’28 Opposite: Quilian Riano, dean of the School of Architecture
Building the Future Pratt’s School of Architecture was established in 1954 to house undergraduate and graduate programs focused on the shaping of the built environment through design, planning, and management. Over the past 70 years, the school has become one of the largest and most highly ranked architecture schools in the U.S., with programs ranked among the nation’s top 10. World Makers will build on this legacy to help fund a new School of Architecture building that epitomizes the future of architecture, planning, and construction.
It’s a historic opportunity for our community. This is our chance to imagine a bold new future for architecture education. Quilian Riano Dean of the School of Architecture
The Best We Can Be
Quilian Riano
Dean of the School of Architecture Creating a new building devoted to the study of architecture is a rare occasion in New York City, home to some of the world’s most iconic structures. Launching that project at Pratt—where students, faculty, and alumni have been shaping the built environment for more than 70 years—is a once-in-a-lifetime event. “It’s a historic opportunity for our community,” notes Quilian Riano, dean of the School of Architecture. “This is our chance to imagine a bold new future for architecture education.” The new, 140,000-square-foot building will enhance the experience for architectural students by centralizing learning spaces and incorporating the leading-edge technology architecture students need to thrive in the AI era. “It will be a place of experimentation that has the ability to change over time, with everything from 3D printers and laser cutters to new labs where
students use simulations to bring their construction methods to life in seconds,” says Quilian. “Students will have greater opportunities to collaborate with faculty, gain hands-on experience making models, and share their work with the broader community. The flexibility of the building represents the quintessential Pratt ethos— education engaged with impact.” This flagship investment will greatly expand Pratt’s capacity to meet a growing enrollment demand for architectural studies, and fully integrate the School of Architecture with the rest of the Institute. “This project furthers our legacy of cultivating architects who address the critical issues of our time, from social justice to the climate crisis,” says Quilian. “Now is the time to build something that can transform our school, and our profession.”
Opposite top: Work by Sam KirschStancliff, BArch ’29 Opposite center: Work by David Isaacs, BArch ’26, and Larisa Ramos, BArch ’26 Opposite bottom: Work by Riwa Ali, BArch ’27, and Heet Desai, BArch ’27
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The Force of Creativity
Andy Cohen BArch ’78
Andy Cohen is the global co-chair of Gensler, the world’s leading global architecture and design firm. But his career began in his family’s dairy store on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, helping customers and stocking shelves—all while nurturing a passion for drawing and sketching. “Unfortunately, tragedy struck when my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer,” Andy explains. “I was expected to take over the business, but he told me, ‘I’m selling the store, follow your dreams.’” Andy took his advice, enrolling in the Architecture program at Pratt, and after his father passed, he moved to California to join Gensler. Over his 45 years with the company, Andy has helped keep Gensler at the forefront of an evolving industry. For 20 years, he served as co-CEO with Diane Hoskins, before stepping into the role of global co-chair in 2024. Together, they have exemplified collaborative leadership, overseeing the strategy and operations of a global practice known for its award-winning design innovation and research. Under their guidance, Gensler has grown to become the most admired firm in the field, with some 7,000 people across 58 offices, serving more than 3,500 clients in over 100 countries. And the Gensler
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Research Institute has become the industry’s leading source of industry knowledge and insights, with its reports on user experience, urbanism, and more recognized as key indicators of global trends. Today, Andy is tracking how technologies like AI could transform the field, especially for young architects. “The implications are significant—what used to take a month to design can now be done in a day,” he says. “We’ve hired many talented students from Pratt over the years; while we used to train them to be technically proficient, we’re now also guiding them toward thinking more strategically about how advanced innovation platforms can enhance and elevate their practice. We’re encouraging them to get back to the essence of the craft, the force of creativity itself.” “Now is the time to give back to these students. Technological advancements always create disruption, and it’s critical that we empower the next generation of design leaders to channel disruption into greater positive impact on our profession and our world,” he emphasizes. “Since its founding, Pratt has always been plugged into where the future is headed. I’m honored to support the leaders and creators of tomorrow.”
This page: The Shanghai Tower, designed by Gensler, is the tallest building in China and second-tallest building in the world. Opposite: Andy Cohen, BArch ’78, photo courtesy of Gensler
Charles Pratt’s original vision lives on in our current mission, which centers on educating the artists and creative professionals who shape the world we live in. President Frances Bronet
Work by Hiral Parmar, MID ’26
A yearly tradition, first-year students join President Frances Bronet for a sunrise walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
Pratt At A Glance
1887
1,988
ESTABLISHED
FACULTY AND STAFF
22
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS
27
GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS
5,114
91%
STUDENTS
65k
WORLDWIDE ALUMNI
RETENTION RATE
75
COUNTRIES
25 acre
80k sq ft
BROOKLYN CAMPUS
FACILITIES IN THE BROOKLYN NAVY YARD
and a satellite Manhattan center
92%
UNDERGRADS
including the Research Yard and Dock 72
91%
GRADUATES
find employment or continue their education after graduation
$371m ENDOWMENT
Data as of November 4, 2025
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Pratt was founded to give students the chance to apply their creativity in service to society during the industrial era. With the support of our generous community, we will further the spirit of creative achievement that inspired our founding—and enable our students to imagine bold futures for themselves as World Makers who can rise to any challenge. Kathryn Chenault and Bill Hilson World Makers Campaign Co-Chairs
This page: Pratt Shows: Design is an annual celebration of exceptional work by graduating students. This dynamic exhibition offers a glimpse into the future of design from some of the most innovative emerging voices. Opposite left: Kathryn Chenault with Maryam Lee, BArch ’30, and Sonai Castrillo, BArch ’30 Opposite right: Bill Hilson with Nicholas Berray, MFA Communications Design ’26
Let’s Do This.
Big Damn Prints, a yearly campus tradition, culminates with largescale prints stretching across Pratt’s Brooklyn campus lawn.
It’s time to shape tomorrow. World Makers invites you to stand with the students, faculty, staff, and supporters who are writing the next chapter of this extraordinary institution. Your gift to World Makers will provide the resources needed to keep fueling the work of our amazing students and exceptional faculty, as we continue to raise the Institute’s profile in New York City and across the globe. We hope you’ll join us in this unprecedented opportunity to create an even more accessible, bold, resilient, and sustainable Pratt. Thank you for your generous support; it means the world to us.
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Pratt’s Myrtle Hall, the first LEED Gold-certified higher education building in Brooklyn, designed by Jack Esterson, BArch ’75
PRATT INSTITUTE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Gary Hattem ’75 CHAIR Frances Bronet PRESIDENT Mike Pratt VICE CHAIR Dr. Joan Fallon SECRETARY Howard S. Stein TREASURER Derrick Adams ’96 Evan Akselrad Dr. Gilda Barabino Kathryn C. Chenault ’12 (Hon.) Anne N. Edwards Iona Fromboluti Zara Harris William Hilson David Kim David O. Pratt Michael Schafler ’14 Theodore Shaine ’68; ’26 (Hon.) Doug Steiner Mark D. Stumer ’74 Mickalene Thomas ’00 Anne H. Van Ingen Michael Zetlin FACULTY TRUSTEES
Jason Lee Corinne Ulmann
STUDENT AND RECENT GRADUATE TRUSTEES
Antoine Casado
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT TRUSTEE
Shane Davis ’17
RECENT GRADUATE TRUSTEE
Michael Persson
GRADUATE STUDENT TRUSTEE
Alison M.B. Weidman ’24 RECENT GRADUATE TRUSTEE TRUSTEE EMERITI
Richard W. Eiger ’55 Bruce J. Gitlin Charles J. Hamm Young Ho Kim ’71 Katharine L. McKenna ’85 John Morning ’55 Heidi Nitze Marc A. Rosen ’70 Robert H. Siegel ’62 Juliana C. Terian ’90 As of September 30, 2026
ART DIRECTION AND PRODUCTION LEADS
Institutional Advancement Communications and Marketing PHOTOGRAPHY
Dahlia Dandashi Yael Malka ’12 BRAND DESIGN
Once-Future Office TEXT
Libretto PRODUCTION
Masterpiece Printing
pratt.edu/ worldmakers