RISD Momentum Fall 2019

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Making Great Strides There has never been a more exciting time to be at RISD. This May, the Board of Trustees ratified NEXT: RISD 2020–2027, our new strategic plan to strengthen our ability to create just societies, a sustainable planet and new ways of making and knowing.

We build this road map from a position of strength. The demand for a RISD education has increased such that our acceptance rate is just 20.7 percent for first-year undergraduate students and 33 percent for graduate students. We have welcomed a group of 10 new faculty members this year to further RISD’s intellectual community.

Off campus the RISD Alumni Association is rapidly expanding regional clubs and affinity groups and building new programs that offer alumni more ways to connect with RISD. It is with gratitude that we celebrate our best fundraising year in RISD’s history—driven not only by the landmark $19.9 million gift from the realization of the Rayon Foundation Trust—but also by legions of smaller gifts from across our community that pushed the RISD Fund to new heights. These gifts, large and small, are having a transformational impact on the lives of our students, as you will read in the pages that follow.

It is heartening to see how our alumni, parents and friends are deepening their engagement at this critically important time. Thanks to our collective commitment, RISD’s future is brighter than ever.

ROSANNE SOMERSON 76 PRESIDENT

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Accelerating Impact

Breaking records together at RISD

Our donors made FY 2019 the best fundraising year in RISD history, which included setting a new high bar for the RISD Fund.

As just one example, your generosity helped launch a new Social Equity and Inclusion program that this year is providing 79 incoming high-need undergraduate students with $1,000 per year for materials, a $3,000 grant to take an unpaid internship and up to $5,000 to embark on RISD Global learning experiences during their RISD careers.

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Every gift has been put to work to ensure that the full potential of the RISD experience is made available to every student.

871

DONORS GAVE FOR THE FIRST TIME OR INCREASED THEIR GIVING

3,771

DONORS GAVE TO RISD

$3.7m RISD FUND GIFT TOTAL

$30.6m RAISED IN FY 19

You made it happen.

Thank you.

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Launching a New Era A $19.9 million gift—RISD’s largest ever— from the Rayon Foundation Trust honors RISD’s historic roots in the study of textiles.

In 1944, with an initial gift of $100, Royal Little established the Rayon Foundation Trust to support the study of textiles at Rhode Island School of Design.

Since that time, RISD has received over $7.3 million in quarterly distributions that have benefited RISD’s Textiles department. When the trust was realized, its value had grown to $19.9 million and now stands as the largest single gift in RISD’s history. This cumulative $28 million investment represents one of the most generous gifts by an individual to an art and design school.

Textron’s ties with RISD have endured as it has grown to global prominence. The company has supported numerous RISD Museum exhibitions, including Gorham Silver: Designing Brilliance 1850–1970, which is on view through December 1. The company also has funded scholarships, fellowships and studios.

Royal Little was a shrewd Rhode Island entrepreneur and investor who founded Textron, Inc. Little engineered Textron’s transition from a small textiles firm into what today has become a $14.2 billion multi-industry corporation with employees in 25 countries. The company’s stupendous growth blossomed from Little’s expansive vision for Rayon, a material first introduced as synthetic silk. Thinking beyond uses in fashion, he developed a Rayon parachute during World War II and was so confident in its strength and utility that he volunteered to be the first test subject. He then trained at Fort Bragg for four days before jumping in the first Rayon parachute, and this innovation helped give rise to the company that Textron is today.

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Polly Spenner 10 TX, a technical assistant for Textiles, demonstrates one of the looms during RISD Weekend 2019 open studios.

“RISD’s partnership with industry has been essential right from the very start. In the nineteenth century, Rhode Island was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution with its power-driven textile mills. RISD’s early benefactor Jesse Metcalf was a textile manufacturer, and it was his wife, Helen Rowe Metcalf, who led the Rhode Island Women’s Centennial Commission in founding RISD in 1877. So, it is not by chance that Rhode Island School of Design continues to be a leader in the study of textiles,” says President Rosanne Somerson.

that have applications for industry, science and improving people’s lives.”

“My father saw boundless possibilities in the uses of Rayon, and that vision has become realized as the fabric is used around the world for countless purposes,” says Arthur D. Little, son of Royal Little. “It is wonderful to see RISD honor his vision with its use of the Rayon Trust.

I am excited to see the college continue to innovate with textiles by challenging the boundaries of the use of existing textiles and creating wholly new textiles. I know he would be enormously pleased to see his philanthropic legacy extended in this way.”

“Royal Little has furthered this exciting trajectory. His gift provides RISD with the funds to more expansively support our extraordinary faculty and students in Textiles.

It provides an enormous lift to our efforts to deliver a world-class art and design education to our students,” adds Somerson.

“My father saw boundless possibilities in the uses of Rayon, and that vision has become realized as the fabric is used around the world for countless purposes. It is wonderful to see RISD honor his vision with its use of the Rayon Trust.”

“In 1944 when he established the trust, Royal Little could not have envisioned the innovations that continue to transform how textiles are designed, made and used,” adds Somerson. “But his remarkable gift now makes it possible for RISD to offer a truly unmatched program in Textiles. These funds will support experimentation with new materials, technologies and methods to design and create fine art and the development of innovative fabrics

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Forging Her Creative Path

Recipient of the Roger and Gayle Mandle Fellowship

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A fellowship assists alumna Kiernan Pazdar’s return to RISD to pursue an MFA and expand her creative practice.

Dancing wallpaper patterns. Swirling fluorescent brushstrokes. Kiernan Pazdar 14 TX/MFA 20 PT creates paintings that are in motion. “I think of painting pretty romantically,” she says. “It’s a flexible and direct medium that can become anything.”

“I couldn’t have come without it,” she says. “Returning to school has been a huge leap of faith, especially after working as an artist for a few years.”

The Mandle Fellowship is awarded on the basis of financial need and artistic talent to one or more graduate students pursuing an MFA in Painting. Former RISD president Roger Mandle (who served from 1993 to 2008) and his wife established the fellowship. “Gayle and I are keenly aware that talent knows no economic boundaries. Support for graduate students is especially important because many of the neediest students have expended their financial capacity pursuing an undergraduate degree,” says Mandle.

Just like her work, Pazdar is always moving forward and pushing creative boundaries. After attending RISD as an undergraduate majoring in Textiles, she worked as a textile designer before committing full-time to her painting practice. In 2018, she decided to return to RISD to pursue an MFA in Painting. “The work being made here felt very connected to the way I had been working on my own,” she explains.

In addition to her graduate studies, Pazdar now has the opportunity to build her pedagogical practice. “I have a teaching assistantship, which has been one of my favorite parts of being back in school,” she adds. “I love working one-on-one with students to help them develop their ideas and figure out how their passions can be brought into their work.”

Back on campus she has made important connections with mentors and peers. “As an MFA student I have a much closer working relationship with my professors and the visiting artists,” she says. Having taken the plunge, she is enjoying being challenged by new ways of thinking about and approaching art. “There is a focus on theory that has expanded the type of research I now expect from myself,” she says.

One day, she hopes to find a balance between careers as a professor and artist. Regardless of the journey she takes, Pazdar is adamant about moving her creative momentum forward. “No matter what happens,” she says, “I will continue to make art.”

But she did not take the decision to continue her studies lightly. Receiving the Roger and Gayle Mandle Fellowship relieves some of her financial stress.

written by Dan Hitchen, CASE intern

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Realizing Her Goals

Recipient of the William W. Lane Endowed Scholarship

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Thanks to a RISD scholarship, Lindsey Moreau is focusing on using empathy to create meaningful experiences for users.

Although she had always loved art, Lindsey Moreau 21 ID was not sure it could be her career. “As a second-generation Haitian American, I was raised to believe that my only options were to become a doctor or a lawyer,” she says.

“But I grew up in Miami, which has a diverse range of cultures, artistic expressions and identities. The city exposed me to different possibilities.”

At RISD she is enjoying the freedom to create without constraints. “I have been able to find myself as an artist because I can make mistakes, develop my ideas and turn concepts into something real,” says Moreau. “For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in problemsolving and art,” she says. “I believe that designers are here to shape meaningful experiences for our users. This is why I am passionate about understanding vulnerability— so I can design better systems, services and tools around lived experiences.”

“I do not come from a wealthy background, and I work hard to earn my way. This scholarship has made all of the difference.”

Moreau is also deeply engaged in life outside of the studio and has found Black Artists and Designers (BAAD) to be an important student community for her. “BAAD supports exploring culture through dialogue. I often find myself in situations where I am the only one to speak up about issues of diversity. Because RISD does not have a large population of black students, BAAD provides an important sense of comfort and understanding,” she says.

Her immersive RISD experience is supported by the William W. Lane 60 ID Endowed Scholarship, established for Brown-RISD dual-degree students or those majoring in Industrial Design. “Financial aid is helping me tremendously. Without it, I would not have been able to attend RISD or study industrial design—it all seemed so far out of reach. I dreamed of going to RISD, but I was prepared to go elsewhere and major in another field if necessary,” she says. “My scholarship provides me with the opportunity to explore and attain the goals I have set for myself and my family.”

She is also involved in the NASA Rover Club—a studentrun organization that designs a two-person all-terrain rover for NASA’s Rover Challenge. “The hands-on approach and the way each detail was carefully thought out and discussed made me certain that I had chosen the right major,” she recalls.

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Focusing on Service

Recipient of the Elizabeth Jones Scholarship

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With financial support from RISD, Derek Russell is exploring how art and design can make a positive impact.

Derek Russell BArch 22 had to discover his own way.

“Growing up, I had a hard time finding the resources I needed to develop as an artist. In Colorado Springs, which is a huge military hub, the arts are seen as an afterthought or a hobby. Schools are pipeline-focused, churning out engineers and physicians, but seldom creatives,” says Russell. He eventually turned to a local community college to learn more.

Although his cultural environment presented barriers, his physical surroundings inspired him. “Spending most of my life amidst Colorado’s Rocky Mountains and rolling plains has meant that nature has always been a crucial part of my life. The city and the wilds were synonymous to me, intertwined so closely that for a long time I could not differentiate the two,” he says.

Russell’s father was in the missile division of the US Air Force and his mother worked as a secretary in public schools. “Our family is more intellectually-oriented than artistic, but they were very supportive. They also inspired me to approach my art with a greater purpose than just self-expression. From an early age I knew that I could use art to incite change by calling attention to the problems in the world through a critical lens,” recalls Russell.

Despite strong family support, his path has not been easy.

The summer before his senior year of high school, his family endured a great loss when his father passed away from cancer. “Without financial aid, RISD would not have been viable,” says Russell, who receives the Elizabeth Jones Scholarship. “This support has made it possible for me to enter the somewhat exclusive community of makers that otherwise would have been entirely foreign to me.”

“RISD has exposed me to incredible talent, pushed the boundaries of what I thought art could be and opened my eyes to possibilities of making. I know I would not have found all of this at any other school.”

Russell also has enjoyed an opportunity to spread his wings with support from the Travel Fund. “I studied with Dr. Lucy Spelman in South Africa the summer before last, exploring the correlation between art/science and animal conservation. This experience was truly life changing,” he says. “The opportunity to remove myself from a privileged US context allowed me to more clearly see the real problems in the world.”

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Open For Living As students arrived on campus for the fall semester, North Hall—RISD’s new residence hall located at 60 Waterman Street— welcomed excited first-year students to make it their home for the coming year. To celebrate RISD’s first new student housing in 30 years, students, alumni, trustees, faculty and staff gathered on October 12 during RISD Weekend to formally dedicate North Hall and commemorate this auspicious milestone.

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148

STORIES

FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS

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First-year student residents Alice Zhang EFS and Alice You EFS

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Celebration of Scholarships RISD's community of donors turns out in force to celebrate student success.

Geary 19 ID made candles for attendees with wax harvested from RISD Beekeeping hives and Jen Thorton 19 TX and Krista Young 19 TX created textiles to wrap the candles.

On May 3, more than 130 members of the RISD community came together to applaud the extraordinary impact that scholarships—and their donors—have on the lives of RISD students. Michael Koch 87 TX hosted the evening that explored how scholarships fuel students’ growth and make the RISD educational experience possible for the creative leaders of the future.

Steph Foster MFA 19 PH, the T. C. Colley Scholar for Excellence in Photography—a scholarship established in memory of Thomas Colley 90 PH—shared his commitment to using his art as a platform for social change. “There are almost seven million people in the United States correctional system. African Americans make up almost 40 percent of those incarcerated despite only being 12 percent of the general population,” he said.

Underscoring the evening’s theme of growth and sustainability, Leah Marchant 20 ID designed the event to include centerpieces made from upcycled copies of XYZ magazines and featured the work of fellow students. Wynn

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“I am now able to use photography to visualize a reality that disproportionately affects people of color and is all but invisible. Through your support, you are giving a generational voice to students and artists everywhere who are working towards a more inclusive creative landscape.”

STEPH FOSTER MFA 19 PH

“I am now able to use photography to visualize a reality that disproportionately affects people of color and is all but invisible,” he added. “Through your support, you are giving a generational voice to students and artists everywhere who are working towards a more inclusive creative landscape.”

President Rosanne Somerson emphasized the lasting difference that scholarships make, noting that the William C. Benedict Scholarship—RISD’s oldest—was established in 1915 for students of excellent character and high scholarship need. The support it offers has increased over time with the growth of the endowment. All told, the scholarship has provided financial assistance to more than 100 RISD students.

The evening was a single moment in time to celebrate the growing number of donors who follow in Benedict’s footsteps, but the impact of their generosity will continue to transform the lives of RISD students in the years and decades to come.

To learn more about establishing a scholarship, please contact Joanne Ferchland-Parella at jferchla@risd.edu or call toll-free at 844 454-1877.

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Honoring the life of Carmela Kolman 82 IL

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Recognizing a Courageous Legacy A generous donor offers targeted support for students to overcome challenges.

RISD will now offer its first scholarship that provides financial assistance to students with disabilities, thanks to the generosity of John Rizzo, who recently established the Carmela Kolman 82 Endowed Scholarship to honor his late wife.

creative process as she could now see much more clearly.

“In her early years, her style was almost surreal. Once her vision was corrected, she painted in a highly realist style for a number of years. Eventually, her style changed to impressionistic. It is as if she integrated her previous two styles,” recalls Rizzo. “The evolution of her painting and her productivity demonstrate that no disability can stand in the way of talent and the drive to produce great art.”

While meeting the rigorous studio and academic demands at RISD is daunting for every student, it was especially challenging for Carmela Kolman 82 IL. She was born legally blind in her left eye and had limited vision in her right eye. As a result, her vision was impaired and blurry.

Determined to express herself through her art, she painted what she saw and developed her own unique style. She was born with Marfan syndrome, a connective tissue disorder that affected her sight and cardiovascular system.

She exhibited widely in New York City, including solo exhibitions at Denise Bibro Fine Art, and group shows at Lori Bookstein Fine Art, Kouros Gallery and Neptune Fine Art. Haverford College, Colby College, the University of New Hampshire, Boston University, the University of Wisconsin, Purdue University, the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse, the College of William and Mary and the Washington Studio School have exhibited her work, and it has been reviewed and featured in publications such as the New York Times, Modern Painters and Art New England.

Her vision was much improved by surgery when she was 23 years old, and this required a significant adjustment to her

“ This scholarship recognizes the assistance Carmela received for her RISD education and her own strength and determination in overcoming a severe disability to enjoy a successful art career, producing and selling many beautiful paintings. I hope this scholarship and Carmela’s story will assist and inspire RISD students in pursuing their artistic goals.”

JOHN RIZZO

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Investing in Graduate Students An alumna pays it forward by supporting future generations of graduate students.

Establishing the Butler Family Graduate Fellowship

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“ I was very fortunate to have received financial aid so that I could attend the school of my choice. I hope that this endowment will help graduate students take advantage of all that RISD has to offer.”

KAREN BUTLER CONNELL MFA 95 PT/PR

When her acceptance letter arrived, Karen Butler Connell MFA 95 PT/PR was thrilled. Unfortunately, there was a problem—RISD did not include a significant financial aid package along with its offer of admission.

“I remember that a fellow grad student was suddenly hit by some bad luck and was having a hard time paying her tuition. RISD helped her bridge that gap and saved her from having to leave campus before she completed her education,” says Butler Connell.

“Another school had given me a full ride for tuition and living expenses, but I desperately wanted to go to RISD,” she recalls. “I met with Professor Nancy Friese, who at that time was the graduate chair for Painting and Printmaking, and I asked her if they could find financial aid for me. She came through with an incredible teaching opportunity that paid for a third of my tuition. It made all the difference in the world. Without that support, I would never have been able to attend.”

This memory of how RISD helped her and her classmate pay for their studies inspired her to establish the Butler Family Graduate Fellowship. “I was very fortunate to have received financial aid so that I could attend the school of my choice,” she says. “I hope that this endowment will help students in RISD’s graduate program take advantage of all that RISD has to offer.”

Butler Connell urges others to pay it forward by investing in student scholarships and fellowships. “I love getting feedback from the grad students whom we have helped.

RISD sends me letters from the recipients and photos of their work. My education has changed my life’s path, and it is rewarding to see how our philanthropy is helping today’s students learn and thrive in such a special place.”

What she was able to experience as a result was energizing: “When I had visited other MFA programs, the graduate students were separated from the undergrads. At RISD, we were teaching the undergrad students, going to events and lectures with them, and I recall feeling their intensity,” she says. “We also benefited from visiting artists who shared stories about their own successes and provided spirited critiques of our work.”

To learn more about establishing a fellowship, please contact Joanne Ferchland-Parella at jferchla@risd.edu or call toll-free at 844 454-1877.

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A Valued Alumni Presence Work by RISD alumni can be found across the museum’s collections, and they are deeply involved in its programs as well.

1,100+

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WORKS BY ALUMNI

YEARS OF FREE ADMISSION

IN THE RISD MUSEUM'S

TO THE RISD MUSEUM

COLLECTIONS

FOR ALUMNI

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Lu Heintz 01 SC working with a RISD student at the museum.

The RISD Museum was founded in 1877 as part of RISD and it remains integral to RISD’s mission. This sense of connection extends to the alumni community, which has always been deeply engaged in the museum. Alumni frequently give talks, show their work, lead workshops and guest curate exhibitions. One example is the Repair and Design Futures exhibition, which investigated mending as material intervention, metaphor and call to action. A number of RISD alumni from the WARP Collective led Repair: Work as a Re-visioning Process. The program invited visitors to bring in garments needing to be “made ready” again. The damage and defects found served as the point of entry for artistic interventions to reorganize, confuse, enhance and elevate the garments in playful ways. Alumni members of the RISD WARP team included Priscilla Carrion 07 TX, Jim Drain 98 SC, Lu Heintz 01 SC, Vedrana Hrsak 99 ID/MFA 11 TX, Simon Slowinski 01 PT and Joan Wyand 05 CR.

In addition to offering free and discounted memberships for alumni, the RISD museum gives back to the local community. Artists living in Rhode Island, active duty US military personnel and their families, and youth age 18 and under always enjoy free admission to the museum, and it is free to all on Sundays.

Perhaps the most common way that alumni connect with the museum is as visitors and members. Alumni receive free individual membership to the museum for 10 years following graduation and a discounted household membership thereafter.

Photos courtesy of Lu Heintz 01 SC (critic in Experimental and Foundation Studies).

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Finding Joy in Giving Back Daria Askari 05 PH and his husband, Ryan Hart, act on their core beliefs.

Daria Askari 05 PH and his husband Ryan Hart

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“ It is really gratifying to volunteer by helping prospective students with their art school portfolios as they start their creative careers and work to gain admission to RISD.” DARIA ASKARI 05 PH

Donald Choi BArch 82 P 07 (left) and Daria Askari 05 PH (right) flank Alumni Association Award recipients Todd Bartel 85 PT, Deborah Berke BArch 77 and Grace Chun 09 GD.

The educational experience that Daria Askari 05 PH enjoyed as a RISD student still resonates in a powerful way.

“The freedom to experiment and explore different concepts with the guidance and support of respected faculty was incredibly valuable to how I approached work,” he recalls.

“I especially enjoyed the critiques and the push to always do better. The input of my peers—and the exposure to different pedagogy, perspectives and processes—helped to shape my worldview and deepen my appreciation for the fine arts.”

The couple enjoys giving back. “We are happy knowing our contributions make an impact in the RISD community,” says Askari. “We both come from modest backgrounds. I was born in Iran and grew up in the Hudson Valley. Ryan grew up in rural Kansas, and had his own transformational education at Vassar that was heavily subsidized by generous donors who came before him. Our appreciation and love for makers, educators and artists know no bounds, and our involvement with RISD is an extension of that,” he says.

Askari’s connection to RISD has remained strong long after graduation. He does portfolio reviews and chairs the RISD Alumni Association’s Alumni Awards Committee. “I feel like I’m a part of something exciting when I’m involved with RISD. Volunteering reminds me of my time as a student, and I am proud to be part of this amazing, creative community,” he explains.

“Supporting higher education and the arts through our philanthropy is at the core of our beliefs and values. Ryan is executive director of gift planning at Columbia University.

Putting RISD in our estate plans is as joyful for us as it is for the donors with whom he has the privilege to work,” he explains. “We designated our gift to scholarships because it will support future generations of RISD students.”

“I review professional artists’ portfolios and provide feedback to those seeking gainful employment in the arts as part of my day-to-day work. It is really gratifying to volunteer by helping prospective students with their art school portfolios as they start their creative careers and work to gain admission to RISD,” he says.

“We encourage other alumni to contribute in any capacity that feels right for them. Participating in local alumni club events and meetings is a great way to stay in touch. We will continue being involved with this community that we love and respect and look forward to seeing great things we can do together,” says Askari.

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A New Era for RISD Alumni New leadership and programs usher in a banner year.

This year marks the 125th anniversary of the RISD Alumni Association, founded in 1894. In celebration of this important milestone, RISD is investing in new programs, resources and leadership for alumni.

RISD ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT Donald Choi BArch 82 P 07

On the official anniversary, June 2, President Rosanne Somerson announced that Donald Wun Hing Choi BArch 82 P 07 had been appointed president of the Alumni Association. Choi is the first president from outside of the United States, and his appointment reflects RISD’s increasingly global presence with alumni in 93 countries. He began his two-year term on July 1 and leads the Alumni Association’s more than 30,000 members and serves as an ex officio member of the Board of Trustees.

“Our 2018 Alumni Survey found that alumni have a strong appetite for deeper engagement with RISD, and the Association is up for the challenge,” says Choi. “We are rapidly expanding our network of regional clubs and affinity groups, building a mentorship program, presenting new alumni awards and creating new avenues for alumni to support RISD. The recent launch of our dynamic new Alumni Association website is but one demonstration of our commitment to engaging with alumni in new ways.”

COMMITTEE CHAIRS Daria Askari 05 PH Carly Ayres 13 ID Tino Chow 09 ID Ryan Cunningham 02 FAV Jill Greenberg 89 PH Greg Kannan 02 FAV Kristin Murphy MAT 96, MA 98 Krista Ninivaggi BArch 02 Cathy Park 21 ID Pat Quan BArch 89 Rex Wong BArch 03

To become more involved in the RISD Alumni Association please visit AA OFFICERS alumni.risd.edu, email alumni@risd.edu or call 401 709-8585.

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Introducing RISD’s New Alumni Website A new digital home for RISD’s alumni community.

PROMOTE YOUR WORK

Have news to share? Ever wonder what former classmates are doing or seeking to reconnect? Want to know what other alumni are doing in your field?

The RISD Alumni Association website, launched on October 11, is a dynamic hub for alumni to share exhibitions and shows, career news, personal updates, RISD memories and more.

and submit your news or event (career or family news, gallery opening, installation, film debut, class note, etc.) for publication on the site.

The submission form takes just a couple of minutes, and don’t forget to include a photo!

DISCOVER WHO’S DOING

alumni.risd.edu

WHAT —and where—in the wildly creative RISD alumni community.

CHECK OUT RISD’S

of regional clubs and affinity groups around the world.

EXPANDING NETWORK

FIND RISD ALUMNI EVENTS

and take part in their many social, creative, networking and educational programs.

IN YOUR AREA

ACCESS RISD’S CAREER SERVICES ,

lifelong learning programs and volunteer opportunities.

SEARCH FOR NEWS AND

by name, location, class year and major.

EVENTS

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RISD Weekend With hands-on making workshops, lively panel discussions, artist talks, reunion dinners and much more, a good time was had by all at RISD Weekend 2019.

1,277

24%

127

ALUMNI, PARENTS AND

INCREASE IN

ALUMNI AND STUDENT

FRIENDS ATTENDED

ATTENDANCE FROM

EXHIBITORS AT RISD CRAFT

2018 TO 2019

Jon Key 13 GD and Lina Sergei Attar MArch 01 discuss social entrepreneurship at a wellattended panel discussion.

SAVE THE DATE

Alumni, families and friends will return to campus on October 9–11, 2020 for next year’s RISD Weekend festivities.

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Recognizing Excellence The RISD Alumni Association honored outstanding alumni with new awards established to celebrate its 125th anniversary.

Deborah Berke BArch 77

Grace Jun 09 GD

Todd Bartel 85 PT

Berke is the founder of the New York-

Jun is assistant professor of Fashion

Bartel teaches drawing, painting, collage

based architecture firm Deborah Berke

at Parsons School of Design and

and conceptual art at the Cambridge

Partners and dean of the School of

executive director of Open Style

School of Weston and is founder and

Architecture at Yale University. She is

Lab, a nonprofit team of designers,

director of the school’s Thompson

deeply committed to advancing women

engineers and occupational therapists

Gallery dedicated to establishing strong

in the profession and serves on the

dedicated to making style accessible

relationships between professional

boards of the James Howell Foundation

to people of all abilities.

artists and the school community.

and the Yaddo Artist’s Residency and

He also serves as guest critic at New

is an honorary Trustee of the Norman

Hampshire Institute of the Arts and

Foster Foundation.

Vermont College of the Arts.

The Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf Award, the highest award offered by

is presented to alumni who have

The Emerging Leader Award

The Art and Design Educator Award recognizes alumni who have

the RISD Alumni Association, honors

graduated within the past ten years,

demonstrated exceptional skill as

Helen Metcalf, the founder of RISD,

made significant achievements and

an educator or a clear commitment

her visionary spirit and civic generosity.

contributions to their profession

to the field of art education, and are

The award recognizes alumni who

and/or community, think boldly,

recognized by their peers and students

have achieved outstanding distinction

mindfully and creatively, and act

as having shown those qualities that

in their life’s work in a professional

with honor and moral courage.

most encourage students to learn and

field, or in community, public or

thrive creatively.

humanitarian service.

Please visit alumni.risd.edu to learn more about the RISD Alumni Association awards program and this year’s recipients.

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Leadership Volunteers RISD is grateful to its inspiring community of volunteers who dedicate considerable time to critical roles such as governance, alumni and parent engagement, organizing regional activities for alumni, developing professional networks of alumni across various fields, philanthropy and service in their communities.

SINCE THE FALL 2018 ISSUE OF MOMENTUM, RISD HAS GAINED:

+6

+6

NEW CLUBS

NEW AFFINITY GROUPS

+66

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION LEADERS

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2018–19 Season Results Student athletes bring as much grit, resilience and creativity to their sports as they do to their studios.

BASKETBALL

Season Record: 3 wins, 5 losses

SAVE THE DATE:

RISD vs. Pratt Please plan on joining the RISD Club of New York to cheer on RISD Basketball.

Game: Sunday, February 16, 2020 Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY 3:00pm

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CYCLING

Marcus Peabody MFA 19 GD (top) and Jane Rossi 19 ID (below) in competition.

Competing Cyclists: Marcus Peabody MFA 19 GD Jane Rossi 19 ID First Place, 2018 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships—Division 1 Union Cycliste Internationale— Ranked 201 Races: KMC CrossFest CRAFT Gran Prix of Gloucester Crosstobeerfest Really Rad CX Festival Verge Northampton International CX Supercross Cup NBX GP of Cross 2018 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships Photo by Angelica Dixon

HOCKEY

Season Record: 5 wins, 5 losses

If you would like to support one of the RISD student athletic teams, please visit engage.risd.edu, select the Student Life button and use the menu to designate your gift to the team of your choice.

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Leading the Way A key commitment of RISD’s new strategic plan, NEXT: RISD 2020–2027, is to contribute to the creation of a sustainable planet.

19,000+

651,600

FLUORESCENT TUBES ARE

ESTIMATED KILOWATT-HOURS

BEING REPLACED WITH ENERGY-

USE REDUCTION FROM

EFFICIENT LED LIGHTS

LED LIGHTS PER YEAR

$91k ESTIMATED ANNUAL SAVINGS FROM LED LIGHTS

3,000

Initiatives like the 2018 installation of solar panels on the What Cheer Garage and a campus-wide lighting project now underway

WATTAGE OF WHAT CHEER GARAGE SOLAR PANEL ARRAY

offer significant benefits:

13,269 ESTIMATED LBS OF CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS SAVED BY THE SOLAR PANEL ARRAY OVER ITS LIFETIME

50% ESTIMATED DECREASE IN KILOWATT-HOURS USED TO LIGHT CAMPUS BUILDINGS

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Museum Board of Governors Officers J. Scott Burns, Chair Andrew Green, MD, Vice Chair Karen Hammond, Vice Chair

Board of Trustees Officers Michael H. Spalter, Chair Maggie A. Williams, Vice Chair Richard W. Haining Sr. P 05 Vice Chair Jon Kamen P 09, Vice Chair Term Trustees H. E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani David Barclay P 10 Caroline Baumann Gabrielle Bullock BArch 84 J. Scott Burns Ilene Chaiken 79 GD / P 18 Norman Chan BArch 85 Erica Gerard Di Bona P 11 Shepard Fairey 92 IL Kim Gassett-Schiller P 14 Joe Gebbia 05 GD/ID HD 17 Robert W. Glass P 11 Karen Hammond Vikram Kirloskar P 12 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 Tavares Strachan 03 GL Ex Officio Trustees Donald Choi BArch 82 / P 07 President, Alumni Association Deb Mankiw P 22 Co-Chair, Parents’ Council Stephen A. Metcalf Chair, Emeriti Trustees

Emeriti Trustees 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 Robert A. DiMuccio Susan W. Dryfoos P 01 Bayard C. Ewing Louis A. Fazzano HD 01 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 Jr. 65 LA Cathy F. Graham 76 PT Paula Koffler Granoff HD 10 William R. Hammer BArch 65 Ronne Hartfield Dorothy Hebden-Heath 57 PT Erma W. Leavitt 44 PT Se-Ung Lee P 91 David A. Macaulay BArch 69 HD 04 Pauline C. Metcalf Stephen A. Metcalf Stuart J. Murphy 64 IL/P 96 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

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Governors Vincent Buonanno Norman Chan BArch 85 Joseph A. Chazan, MD Hannah Metcalf Childs Glenn M. Creamer Allison Dessel Erica Gerard Di Bona P 11 Bob Glass P11 Paula Koffler Granoff HD 10 Muriel Jobbers Judy Mann Ann Ewa Metcalf Pauline Metcalf HD 10 Stephen A. Metcalf Zesty Meyers Meghan Reilly Michaud 01 GD Helene J. Miller Ehsun Mirza, MD Daniel Murray Alan Nathan Jessica Nathan Stacey Nicholas P 21 Carol Nulman Clay Rockefeller Reza Taleghani Toots Zynsky 73 SC Honorary Governors Jane Chace Carroll Kathryn M. Parsons Ex Officio Michael H. Spalter

RISD Alumni Association

RISD Parents Council Co-Chairs Debbie Mankiw P 22 Greg Mankiw P 22 Members (as of October 18, 2019) Grimanesa Amoros-Fleischer P 18 and William Fleischer P 18 Jessica Arner P 11 and Eli Abbe P 11 Simone Bye P 16 and Mark Bye P 16 Greg Cashman P 21 Eva Clarke P 20 and Will Clarke P 20 Portia Durbin P 21 and Chris Durbin P 21 Genevieve Fairbrother P 21 Marika Formoso P 20 and Hector Formoso-Murias P 20 Lauri Freedman P 21 and Douglas Freedman P 21 Joe Gallo P 15 Janette Gee P 21 and Richard Gee P 21 Cenk Goksan P 17 Francesca Hetfield P 20 Dana Johnson P 22 and Mark Nelson P 22 Shefali Khushalani P 22 Rebecca Kutzer P 21 and Pete Kutzer P 21 Claire Levesque P 17 and Bill Tyler P 17

Zheng Liu P 22 and Cheng Zhou P 22 Fran Marchant P 20 and Jeffrey Marchant P 20 Alison Martier Schweizer P 19 and William Schweizer P 19 Sharon McCarthy P 22 and Antonio Molestina P 22 John McIntosh P 20 Stacey Nicholas P 21 Sonja O'Donnell P 22 and Michael O'Donnell P 22 Ayako Okuno P 16 and Dale Okuno P 16 Jennifer Perini P 22 Amy Quirk P 11 Liz Reitman P 21 Sree Sajja P 21 and Vijay Sajja P 21 Debbie Sheldon P 21 and Chris Sheldon P 21 Lisa Slipkovich P 21 and Dan Slipkovich P 21 Ming Song P 21 and Shanming Shi P 21 Charlie Spielholz P 19 Lizzette Villeda P 21 and Pastor Medina P 21 Laurie Volk P 04, P 99 and Todd Zimmerman P 04, P 99 Gwen Watford-Miller P 22 and Charles Miller P 22

PRESIDENT Donald Choi BArch 82 P 07

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Daria Askari 05 PH Carly Ayres 13 ID Tino Chow 09 ID Ryan Cunningham 02 FAV Jill Greenberg 89 PH Greg Kannan 02 FAV Kristin Murphy MAT 96, MA 98 Krista Ninivaggi BArch 02 Cathy Park 21 ID Pat Quan BArch 89 P 21 Rex Wong BArch 03

REGIONAL CLUBS: US Clubs Austin Jonas Criscoe MFA 08 PT, Co-Chair Laura Worrick 08 IL, Co-Chair Boston Becky Fong Hughes 05 GD, Co-Chair Diana Wagner MID 14, Co-Chair Sarah Guerin BArch 99, Co-Vice Chair Mindy Home 99 IL, Co-Vice Chair Melinda Rainsberger 04 FAV, Volunteer Xuan Wang MArch 17, Volunteer Chicago Andreas Nicholas 18 FAV, Chair Laura Mae Noble 03 IL, Vice Chair Gabriel Anaya 17 FAV, Recent Alumni

RISD Fund Co-Chairs Norman Chan BArch 85 Ryan Cunningham 02 FAV

Jesse + Helen Rowe Metcalf Society

Colorado Patrick Marold 97 ID, Chair Houston Falon Mihalic MLA 12, Co-Chair Katie Schon 05 ID, Co-Chair

Chair Stephen A. Earle 82 TX

Los Angeles Sol Armada 92 AP, Co-Chair Aaron Chang 03 FD / MAT 04, Co-Chair Cristina Sirbu MFA 14 TX, Vice Chair

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Moriah Benton 16 IL, Recent Alumni Zachary Deocadiz-Smith 17 GD, Communications Donna deSoto 71 TX, Volunteer

Laura Tempest Zakroff 00 PR, Volunteer Dina Zaccagnini Vincent 93 GD, Volunteer

Maine Patricia White 64 IL, Chair

San Diego Amy White 87 JM, Chair

Miami Rhia Hunter 00 FAV, Chair Danny Diaz Barch 12, Co-Vice Chair Kathleen Finch 12 TX, Co-Vice Chair Isabel Kim 91 IL, Communications Logan Rackear 17 PT, Recent Alumni Elena Tepavac 18 MDes, Recent Alumni Yeison Alarcon BArch 10, Volunteer Bryce Bounds BArch 05, Volunteer Gerald Dannemann 05 MArch, Volunteer Linda Feinberg 94 GD, Volunteer Jayda Knight Uras 99 IA, Volunteer Nick Mahshie 07 PT, Volunteer Maritza Molina 98 PH, Volunteer

San Francisco Alec Babala 14 ID, Co-Chair Erik Lack 15 ID, Co-Chair Amy Gregg 92 GD, Vice Chair Philip Lau 18 ID, Recent Alumni Stephania Serena 89 PH, Communications Jennifer Hale 93 PH, Volunteer Ryan Mather 15 ID, Volunteer Jinal Sampat MLA 12, Volunteer Lizzie Wright 18 ID, Volunteer Anqi Xiao MID 16, Volunteer Marilyn Yu 97 SC, Volunteer

New York Hillary Blumberg 92 FAV, Co-Chair Stephen Earle 82 TX, Co-Chair Katherine Megrue-Smith 88 GD, Co-Chair Jill Groeber 96 GD, Communications Philadelphia Barbara Macaulay BArch 77, Co-Chair Michael Martella BArch 91, Co-Chair Marcy Soronson 74 IA, Vice Chair Rosemary Bock 10 ID, Communications Anna Mogilevsky 02 PT, Volunteer Portland, OR Michele Amar 03 PT, Volunteer Jane Savage 91 ID, Volunteer Rhode Island Amy Cohen 76 TX, Chair Carl Henschel 01 IA, Co-Vice Chair Priya Himatsingka 00 JM, Co-Vice Chair Neethi Abraham MIA 17, Communications Elaine Froehlich 87 GD, Volunteer Peter Gemei 00 GL, Volunteer Lois Harada 10 PR, Volunteer Scott Noh 13 ID, Volunteer Lauren Page-Lake 91 ID, Volunteer Marjorie Powning 84 IA, Volunteer Alane Spinney 78 PH, Volunteer

Seattle Julia Davids MID 16, Chair Levi Jette MArch 12, Vice Chair Atulya Chaganty MID 17, Recent Alumni Marc Choi MFA 11 GD, Communications Ling Chun MFA 16 CR, Volunteer Tiffany Iacolucci 07 IL, Volunteer David Kendall MFA 96 GD, Volunteer Vermont Miriam Block 94 TX, Co-Chair Lucy Bourgeault 93 SC, Co-Chair Washington, DC Altaira Swangin BArch 05, Co-Chair Barbara Werfel BArch 89, Co-Chair Anthony Dihle 04 GD, Volunteer Catherine Sheehan BArch 83, Volunteer Parima Sukosi 11 IA, Volunteer Bruce Werfel BArch 89, Volunteer International Clubs Beijing Catherine McMahon BArch 03, Chair Gulf Region (Qatar/UAE/Saudi Arabia) Saba Qizilbash MA 04 AE, Co-Chair Hangzhou Desmond Loren Delanty BArch 13, Chair

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Hong Kong Donald Choi BArch 82 P 07, President Frank Chow BLA 92, Secretary Rex Wong BArch 03, Treasurer India Soaib Grewal 11 ID, Co-Chair Akshat Raghava 09 ID, Co-Chair Korea Chaeyeon Han 01 GD, President Seung Hwang 11 IA, Vice President Janet Lee 03 FD, Vice President Tae June Kwon 08 AR, General Manager Jennifer Seyoung Park 16 PT, Accounting Manager London Alexander Dale BArch 14, Chair Shanghai Brendan Kellogg 06 FD, Co-Chair Lawrence Wu 07 ID, Co-Chair Singapore Priscilla Tey 15 IL, Chair AFFINITY GROUPS RISD Architects Will McLoughlin BArch 09, Leader Chinese Professionals Xinye Lin MArch 18, Leader RISD Alumni in Film and Television Ilene Chaiken 79 GD, Leader Ryan Cunningham 02 FAV, Leader Founders and Entrepreneurs Open RISD Lawyers Greg Kanaan 02 FAV RISD in Tech Jonathan Arena 09 GD, Leader Michael Neff 04 PH, Leader Reunion Class Leaders Joseph De Leo 94 PT A. Corwin Frost 59 AR P 97 Sarah Green Reed 94 PH

A Shared Sense of Purpose The RISD community joins together on behalf of students.

Can you sense new energy in our

What does this look and feel like on campus?

It is increasing numbers of alumni helping prospective and current students realize their potential by guiding their academic decisions, mentoring and facilitating experiences on and off campus that will shape their lives and careers in profound ways. It is more financial aid being awarded so students can devote all their energy to learning and making. It is expanded support for materials, travel and internships. It is a diverse group of faculty makers and scholars delivering an extraordinary educational experience. It is campus spaces being improved to facilitate learning, community building and wellness.

community? RISD alumni, parents and friends are stepping forward to ensure that the full potential of the RISD experience is available to every student.

At the very heart of it all, our community is committed to supporting student success.

Thank you for attending regional events, visiting alumni.risd.edu, volunteering for leadership roles and service projects and making philanthropic gifts to RISD. Your dedication to RISD students is deeply appreciated.

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 good will and philanthropy.

Written by Christy Law Blanchard

WEB a lumni.risd.edu

risd.edu/giving EMAIL giving@risd.edu PHONE 4 01 454-6403

toll-free: 844 454-1877

Photos by Jo Sittenfeld MFA 08 PH, Momentum

Matthew Watson 09 FAV and David

a donor and volunteer impact report

O'Conner with additional photos

from Institutional Engagement

by Winnie Au, Angela Dixon, Matt

Rhode Island School of Design

Gavashelli 21 GD and Lu Heintz 01 SC.

Š 2019

Design by Studio Rainwater

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Rhode Island School of Design Two College Street Providence, RI 02903 USA