During her time at 黑料专区, Stella helped put Detroit on the world stage by stewarding the city鈥檚 designation as the only UNESCO City of Design in the United States. She was Executivunie Director of Design Core Detroit, and most recently Vice President of Strategy and Communications at the 黑料专区.

In her new role, Stella will set a shared strategy and align resources so that the full ecosystem operates effectively, giving employers and developers a coordinated Detroit. 鈥淒etroit鈥檚 neighborhoods and business community succeed together,鈥� said Mayor Sheffield. 鈥淥lga will be a key architect in making Detroit the best place in the country to start, grow, and locate a business. When businesses thrive here, they create the jobs, opportunity, and stability that Detroit families are counting on.鈥�

鈥淚 am inspired by Mayor Sheffield鈥檚 vision, and I can鈥檛 imagine doing this work anywhere but in
my own hometown,鈥� said Stella. 鈥淒etroit has given my family so much and this a historic moment for the City of Detroit, and I look forward to bringing a different approach to economic development, one that delivers for our neighborhoods and employers alike.鈥�

黑料专区 President Don Tuski expressed his enthusiasm for Olga Stella and her new role.
鈥淪ince Olga first joined 黑料专区 in 2016, she has played a pivotal role in increasing 黑料专区鈥檚 external community profile and visibility, as well as strengthening 黑料专区鈥檚 internal culture in partnership with campus leaders,鈥� said President Tuski.

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• Augmented Reality Center (ARC) in partnership with Oakland University x Communication Design and Strategy, MFA User Experience Design and Entertainment Arts
• Crain Communications 鈥� Automotive News x Illustration
• 313 Presents x Illustration
• BorgWarner x Product Design
• Covestro x MFA Transportation Design
• Detroit Grand Prix x Illustration
• GM x BFA Transportation Design & MFA User Experience Design
• GODNII x MA/MFA Color and Materials Design
• Hagopian Rug Competition x All Departments
• Office of Future Mobility and Electrification with support from the Global Epicenter of Mobility x Transportation Design
• MAWBY Sparkling Wines x Illustration
• Trek Bikes x Product Design
• University of Michigan Dearborn 鈥� Environmental Interpretive Center x Communication Design and Strategy & Interior Design
• Zumiez and Somerset Collection x Illustration

鈥淭his project was pure inspiration,鈥� said Ali Evans, Founder and Creative Director of GODNII. 鈥淐ollaborating with 黑料专区 has been a longtime hope of ours, and it lived up to everything we imagined. The students brought forward deep research, bold ideas, and a clear vision for the future of sustainable fashion. Their work affirmed what we already believed鈥攃reativity with purpose can shift the industry. At GODNII, we鈥檙e excited to carry these insights forward as we continue designing not just for style, but for impact.鈥�

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鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 be prouder,鈥� said McClintock. 鈥淭he team jumped into working with the community immediately after receiving the brief and let the community鈥檚 needs drive their concept.鈥�

To better understand local needs and fine-tune their finished product, the team had a sponsored partnership with Brittany Dabney at Ecosphere Organics, a collaboration with LeJuan Council at Feed Your Neighbor and received BDC mentorship from Jennifer Willet, Director of the Incubator Art Lab in Windsor, Canada.

This win marks the third time 黑料专区 has taken home the first-place prize, the Glass Microbe, competing among 50+ international schools from over 17 countries. 鈥淲hile it鈥檚 always a heavy lift,鈥� McClintock said, 鈥渨atching the students connect with people of like minds 鈥� who are at the intersection of design, science, play, materiality, and sustainability 鈥� and see the smiles on their faces when being seen and understood鈥his is the greatest gift.鈥�

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As AVP for Campus Life, Long oversees three interconnected offices of the College: the Student Affairs Office, Campus Safety and Security, and the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX.

These entities have been redefined during Long鈥檚 two-decade tenure at the College. To better meet students鈥� needs, the former Office of Student Life 鈥攚hich included two separate offices: the Wellness Center and the Residence Life and Housing Office鈥攂ecame the overarching Student Affairs Office. This office is now the umbrella for several key areas, including the Student Engagement and Belonging Office, Residence Life, Student Organizations, Wellness and Counseling Services, Student Disability Services, and the Center for Tutoring and Writing, among others.

Another change was the former Office of Institutional Equity and Inclusion, which was restructured to become the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX. A director position was created to oversee the office, which reports to Long as well.

鈥淓verything that reports to me is really rooted in making students feel like they belong and are capable at 黑料专区,鈥� Long says. 鈥淓very student at 黑料专区 should feel like they have a place; that they belong and have an opportunity to be successful here.鈥�

That notion was at the core of Long鈥檚 role as a Student Programming Coordinator nearly 21 years ago. He was later promoted to a joint role as Assistant Director of Student Life and Student Ombudsman. During that time in the late 2000s and early 2010s, Long remembers the College was working towards providing more experiences for students outside of the classroom, through things such as peer support networks and co-curricular learning opportunities. An indicator of that shift, according to Long, was the increase in employees. 黑料专区 went from 10-12 resident assistants at that time to presently having around 60 total work study students.

鈥淪eeing that growth in the opportunities we鈥檙e able to provide and that we can generate enough interest in working for those various areas is one of the big leading signs that I see in a tangible way, that Student Affairs is making an impact,鈥� he says.

In 2012, Long was promoted to Dean of Students at 黑料专区. During his 12 years in that role, he continued to support streamlining efforts of what he says were the College鈥檚 student-facing offices and the crisis-oriented offices. The aforementioned transition of the former Office of Student Life to today鈥檚 comprehensive Student Affairs Office happened while Long was Dean of Students.

Fourteen years later, and two years into his AVP role, Long is happy with 黑料专区鈥� holistic approach to student experience. His goal for Student Affairs is to continue building on the work those teams have already achieved through their strategic planning. For Campus Safety and Security and the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, Long says empowerment and trust building among the greater campus community has been his goal, especially with the latter office being new.

鈥淪o really, that has been, how do we successfully launch, announce and integrate a new office and a new function for the institution in a space where there鈥檚 not always a lot of trust?鈥� Long says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no inherent trust in an office of civil rights; you have to earn that respect and trust from people.鈥�

Long is also excited about the 鈥渆normous growth鈥� in student organizations over the past couple of years, as well as the pending launch of a new student engagement platform. This platform will allow students to create an account and build a full co-curricular transcript to visualize their collegiate experience.

鈥淚 have an incredibly strong team of professional staff and student staff that really make all of this work on a higher level,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 always like to make sure that I highlight them, in these kinds of situations where they鈥檙e making all of this really function, and giving the students at 黑料专区 the opportunity to experience all of this.鈥�

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Shannon McPartlon, a 20-year 黑料专区 leader, has been named Assistant Vice President of Partnerships.
In her new role, McPartlon will work closely with Vice President Olga Stella to expand strategic initiatives and external partnerships that support the College鈥檚 strategic plan and financial success. She will continue to lead the recently expanded Office of Partnerships, which now includes Event Operations, Speakers and Exhibitions and Exhibition Services.

鈥淪hannon鈥檚 expertise and leadership come at a crucial time, when higher education continues to be disrupted by external forces,鈥� said Don Tuski, President of 黑料专区. 鈥淪erving as a key external ambassador to create career opportunities for students across all of our majors, Shannon will work in collaboration with academic department chairs and internal stakeholders to connect industry trends and needs to new and current programs and initiatives that will bolster the College鈥檚 business model, positioning and revenue generation.鈥�

Throughout her 20-year career at 黑料专区, McPartlon has managed over 400 industry partnerships, engaging more than 3,000 students, faculty and staff. She has played a critical role in evolving the College鈥檚 approach to experiential learning to include more opportunities for students and established the Practicing Design Center in partnership with faculty. Her facilitation of for-credit internships, on-campus recruiting events and launching strategies to increase exposure for students has empowered students to gain hands-on experience and enhance their career readiness.

鈥淚 am incredibly honored and energized by the opportunity to take on this expanded role,鈥� said Shannon McPartlon, Associate Vice President of Partnerships. 鈥淢y primary goal in this new role is to forge strategic, high-level partnerships that directly connect industry trends and needs with new academic opportunities, bolstering the college鈥檚 business model and global positioning. I look forward to applying my experience to further scale our strategic initiatives and help secure the future success of 黑料专区.鈥�

To learn more about the Office of Partnerships, please visit /office-of-partnerships/.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE FOR CREATIVE STUDIES

The 黑料专区 (黑料专区) is a nonprofit, private college accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and authorized by the Michigan Education Department to grant Bachelor鈥檚 and Master鈥檚 degrees. 黑料专区, located in midtown Detroit, strives to provide students with the tools needed for successful careers in the dynamic and growing creative industries. 黑料专区 fosters students鈥� resolve to pursue excellence, act ethically, engage their responsibilities as citizens, and learn throughout their lives. With world-class faculty and unsurpassed facilities, students learn to be visual communicators who actively use art and design toward the betterment of society. The College is a major supplier of talent to numerous industries, such as transportation, film and animation, advertising and communications, consumer electronics, athletic apparel, and many more. Its graduates are exhibiting artists and teachers, design problem solvers and innovators, as well as creative leaders in business.

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Both alumni and donor relations are top priorities for Thomas, who was appointed Vice President for Institutional Advancement in October 2025, shortly after former Vice President Tracy Muscat retired that summer. Through her new role, Thomas is committed to developing fundraising efforts that are tied to 黑料专区鈥檚 mission and vision, and building up a sustainable community of alumni.

The last seven years have prepared Thomas for this VP role. In 2019, she joined Institutional Advancement as the Director of Campaigns and Major Gifts. She was excited to once again work alongside Muscat, whom she had worked for in a previous role and considers a strong fundraiser with a gift for connecting and empowering people.

鈥淎t 黑料专区, I could see where I could really help move the bar, leveraging my experience to make a difference, and I knew I would have opportunities to contribute in meaninful ways,鈥� Thomas says on why she came to the College. 鈥淚 was going to work for an organization that is incredibly important to the Detroit community, and be able to make a difference.鈥�

As 黑料专区 grappled with the Covid-19 pandemic that began just months after Thomas started her director position, she focused her attention on raising funds to secure the resources students needed for their studies, which was done through cultivating new and existing donor relationships.

Once Thomas began managing the alumni relations program, she knew it was time to transition from previous event-based fundraising efforts to more 鈥渕ission- and vision-connected fundraising.鈥� That involved identifying the College鈥檚 key events as well as new ones that could engage alumni and donors. The Institutional Advancement office also wanted to increase communications with alumni and donors.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about finding out who loves and believes in 黑料专区, sharing the mission and vision, and finding out what problem we could solve together,鈥� Thomas says, adding that at one point, the team met with every 黑料专区 Board of Trustees member via Zoom for their insights. 鈥淧hilanthropy is not just about raising money; it鈥檚 building community, pride and a shared responsibility for where we鈥檙e going.鈥�

These efforts proved successful. Thomas helped the team learn how to track alumni engagement through key areas, including interaction with their communications, volunteering, donations and event attendance. The Office also participated in the Council for Advancement and Support of Education鈥檚 (CASE) Alumni Engagement Survey in TK year(s). Thomas and the team learned 黑料专区 ranked 21%, higher than the international average for alumni engagement and higher than their peers.

Thomas also says the average open rate for their alumni e-newsletters tripled over time, going from around 13% to as high as 40%. And to continue strengthening the alumni network, Thomas and the Institutional Advancement team created a role dedicated to that work and hired alumna Lesley Mason in 2024.

As Thomas transitioned to the VP role, she recalls the experience being a seamless one, crediting her time working with Muscat and the solid team they built. She wants to continue fortifying those alumni and donor relationships that will support 黑料专区 for decades to come.

鈥淲hen I think about my vision for these next couple of years, a lot of it is about continuing to build that pride and connection, that community of people that are going to have a shared responsibility for where 黑料专区 goes,鈥� Thomas reiterates. 鈥淚t will lead to philanthropy, but it鈥檚 really about building that community of our biggest fans.鈥�

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This transformative commitment reflects 黑料专区 alumna and Trustee Molly Valade鈥檚 deep connection to and belief in the legacy and importance of the Studio Art & Craft program, as well as her enduring belief in the power of a 黑料专区 education. Molly graduated from 黑料专区鈥檚 Fine Arts program (now Studio Art & Craft) and has served on the College鈥檚 Board of Trustees since 2008, in addition to serving on 黑料专区鈥檚 alumni council for 13 years. Over the years, her engagement with students, faculty, and staff has strengthened the program鈥檚 creative and academic environment, and this gift will ensure that impact continues into the future.

鈥淪tudio Art & Craft has been at the heart of 黑料专区 for more than a century,鈥� said Don Tuski, President of the 黑料专区. 鈥淭he establishment of this endowed chair will help ensure the department continues to evolve, inspire new generations of artists and makers, and expand opportunities for innovative studio practice well into the future.鈥�

Founded in 1906, 黑料专区, then The Society of Arts & Crafts, integrated rigorous courses with the progression of the art and design movements and world-class, contemporary exhibitions. Since its inception, the Studio Art & Craft program has carried on this tradition while continually building on this foundation and legacy. In 2026, the program is still rooted in traditional techniques, now enhanced by contemporary processes and innovative technologies. The department currently enrolls undergraduate students exploring the disciplines of Ceramics, Drawing, Fibers and Textiles, Fine Arts, Glass, Metalsmithing and Jewelry, Painting, Performance, Print Media, Sculpture, Digital Fabrication and Digital Media.

Under the leadership of Department Chair Valerie Jenkins, Studio Art & Craft continues to foster rigorous studio practice and distinct creative voices. The creation of the Valade Family Endowed Chair will further elevate that work, strengthening the program鈥檚 impact and vitality, ensuring its continued growth.

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I would love it if you would share more about how you started in the film industry.

There was a tax incentive in Michigan at that time and it brought a lot of films, right at the moment I had gotten out of school. There was a professor at 黑料专区 named Keith Newton who worked in the Illustration department, and he was kind enough to encourage me to get my foot in the door on one of these films. Under the lead man are these guys named swings and they鈥檙e essentially furniture movers with an artistic eye, who know how to decorate and actually make a set look good. As a swing, in between one of the days where they were filming on location there were a whole bunch of extras there and I started drawing caricatures of them. Then that led to the production designer asking if I could do other things, like graphic design and illustration of any kind, because there are a lot of opportunities in the art department to create props and set deck items and things that are hanging on walls. So, I found a good home, you know? I think I worked for probably 10 or 11 movies after that in Michigan. There was just so much business coming to Detroit, and there weren鈥檛 a lot of locals with the experience in the art department that I now had. I was also doing a lot of logo design. My illustration design, wherever I could fork it into whatever was needed, whether it be a book cover that the actors were reading or a poster on someone鈥檚 bedroom wall, I was always eager to take those projects on. I would let everyone know I want to do some drawing. This really helped me throughout my entire career. It took almost 10 years to become an illustrator in film. It was a long road, but I had jobs, I was working creatively. And then 鈥� then I got a gig on Cosmos. So I moved from Michigan to Los Angeles. Cosmos was a big show for me because there were lots of opportunities to do really cool illustrations. That turned out to be one of the best jobs I鈥檝e ever had.

That sounds like it was a huge moment for you. How did it feel when you were able to see that come to fruition?

It鈥檚 very nerve-racking, actually. But before that, I had done a bunch of really important prop graphic design stuff that was going to be on camera for a number of different films. Ides of March with Ryan Gosling. I got to meet him and interact with him. George Clooney directed it, so I got to meet him as well. For that film, I did all the posters for the political campaign, which were supposed to sort of mimic Obama鈥檚 Hope posters. After that, I worked on Argo, which ended up winning an Oscar. Ben Affleck was directing, and I did a bunch of prop storyboards. They were prop storyboards in the film in 1979, and they were supposed to have been drawn by Jack Kirby, who was a legendary comic artist. Those actually ended up on camera because Ben Affleck鈥檚 character 鈥� and this is a true story, believe it or not 鈥� was showing it to the guards at the Tehran Airport to tell them that they were working on a movie to convince them to get on the flight to be able to escape with all the prisoners. So, that was a really big moment. And then finally, when Cosmos came, I was ready. That was really a great experience because we were a bit shorthanded. So, I got to do a little bit more than just concept art. I was doing some motion graphics, kind of pre-vis stuff. I even remember an early teaser trailer for Cosmos that we did where a buddy and I worked together and essentially made a whole shot out of something that I had illustrated. That was a huge thing for me. So, it was baby steps.

How did you hear about the College? What got you in tune with 黑料专区 to want to apply there?

I had seen some examples of commercial illustration around 鈥� one of my best friends鈥� dads was a commercial illustrator in Dearborn, Gary Ciccarelli, and he had actually taught at 黑料专区 at one point. I felt like he was a good one to emulate because he had a successful career, worked on a bunch of magazines for Cream, which was super popular back in the day. I felt like maybe editorial illustration, commercial illustration was the in. I got really lucky knowing him because he was influential; he said, 鈥渨ell, you know the place to go is 黑料专区.鈥� I think I told him that I was considering other options, and he was like, 鈥渋t鈥檚 right in your backyard.鈥� So, I took his advice and it just ended up being the right fit, right move.

That鈥檚 really nice. Have you and Gary ever had the opportunity to talk in recent years with everything you鈥檝e done?

Every once in a while I get a text or something just saying, 鈥淚 saw something that you鈥檝e worked on.鈥� He鈥檚 always been somebody in my corner. I feel like I鈥檝e been really lucky to have him as sort of an early mentor. He even gave me some of my first little illustration gigs after school. I was kind of struggling to find work, and he was doing some children鈥檚 books, and he helped me out with that. So, I owe a lot to him.

Switching gears a little bit, how do you feel 黑料专区 prepared you for the jobs that you鈥檙e doing today or for your career in general?

It was very heavily traditional. Everything that I was doing at 黑料专区 was foundational, but even more than that, it was practical, oil painting and traditional media. I was lucky enough to have some professors that were into digital illustration and were fostering some of the first digital illustration courses around. You couldn鈥檛 find that anywhere. I remember working in the computer lab in the old illustration wing. That served me really well for the rest of my career. Not to mention, you know, the ability to not just draw and illustrate, but do graphic design and think about color and light in a certain way, all those fun fundamentals and the foundation was so strong. I pull from the fundamentals all the time. You are just always looking for complementary colors or how to make something pop with contrast, or the right composition to make you feel a certain way. That鈥檚 present in all of those core classes that I had with Dave Chow and Keith and everything that I learned from Gil Ashby. They鈥檙e all just super influential.

You can hear very clearly how passionate you are about everything that you鈥檝e learned. What would you say you love the most about what you do, your job or what you鈥檙e working on?

Oh man, it鈥檚 a roller coaster. The highs can be really, really high, you know? You can get a chance at designing a creature or a character, and for me, that was always the apex. Like, oh my god, I鈥檓 creating some character that鈥檚 going to be on screen, that鈥檚 going to be a living, breathing thing, that鈥檚 going to interact with characters. Vecna (from Netflix鈥檚 Stranger Things) was a huge one for me because even though it was a practical sculpt at first, it was the first real thinking character I got to do. That was so fun, just coming up with the design. I think I got a little overeager. I feel like I drew a couple hundred options for the brothers. Poor guys were looking at so many drafts of different options, and I didn鈥檛 want to leave anything on the table. Now, I think I would just trust my expertise and give them a few to pick from, but that was an important thing for me. That was something that I really cherish. The other thing would probably be doing storyboards for certain sequences that have become sort of iconic. Season 4 of Stranger Things, for example, when Max is in the mind layer, that red world and she鈥檚 running away from all the things falling out of the sky and heading towards the portal, and Kate Bush鈥檚 鈥淩unning Up That Hill鈥� is playing, and all of that is happening, in my mind in a room where I鈥檓 just making these drawings. Then they put the drawings on a big board while they鈥檙e filming it and they literally cross off the drawings per shot. Then you have a sequence, and that becomes something that鈥檚 ingrained into what people think of when they think about the show. There have been so many sequences like that over the years that I鈥檝e been lucky enough to be a part of. And it just starts with me reading the script and getting inspired and thinking, 鈥淲hat would be cool?鈥� That鈥檚 me just making a little drawing. That鈥檚 where it starts. And then it鈥檚 on the screen. It鈥檚 crazy.

Do you feel like collaboration and teamwork is something that you enjoy when it comes to what you do?

Yeah, totally. I think for commercial art, collaboration is mandatory. You鈥檙e going to have somebody who will give you an assignment, and then you鈥檒l have to iterate. Very rarely is it the first thing that works, especially in film. You have the art department, you鈥檙e talking with visual effects, and you want the director to have what they would like. You want to think about what the actors are going to do and give them some space to do their thing on the day, and you have to think about the complexities of the shoot, how fast it鈥檚 going to be. I think to be a successful commercial artist, the collaboration actually comes before you even do any of the drawing. I would search around for other people鈥檚 opinions on what they would want and synthesize everyone鈥檚 needs, and try to make it as smooth as possible. It鈥檚 such a mandatory obligation to be collaborative and eventually it just feels secondhand.

I think it鈥檚 super helpful for current students in particular, but also potential students to understand duality and the need to be flexible. That trust within yourself and your decision-making, do you feel like that was innate within you, or do you think that that was something that you built over time?

I think that鈥檚 definitely something you come to trust, because early on in any career, in any discipline, you feel uneasy when given a task because maybe there are too many options. It鈥檚 hard to narrow it down. It鈥檚 hard to know where to start. It鈥檚 hard to know what to focus on. Anything with repetition becomes easier, and you won鈥檛 have that uneasiness inside when you鈥檙e stepping into whatever you鈥檙e endeavoring to do. I think it鈥檚 good to have those feelings first. There鈥檚 a saying that in storyboarding, especially in film, you can draw any different camera angle from any different place, but why? Why are you drawing it from that angle? You have to consider emotion, and feeling, and storytelling, and all that stuff. I think you kind of find yourself asking why all the time, and because of that I think it makes you a better artist. No matter what discipline, what is the intention behind something, and how pure can you get that intention? How crystal clear can you make that thing that鈥檚 just under the surface of what you鈥檙e doing? That鈥檚 what gets to be really fun, when there鈥檚 stuff that people don鈥檛 even think about, and if someone looks at something that was shot or something that you did, and they get a feeling, but they don鈥檛 really know why. You know, that鈥檚 cool.

More recently, you worked on Stranger Things. You had the opportunity to direct. Is that something that you鈥檝e always known that you wanted to do as well?

No, not at all. By Season 3, I think I had done probably a thousand storyboards for the show. There were times when I remember drawing until my hand would bleed. I would draw so much and for so long. You present often enough that there鈥檚 a familiarity there. After a while, they鈥檙e like, okay, you know the tone of the show. You鈥檝e presented and worked with multiple directors who are working within the same sandbox. You know all the characters; sometimes you know a little bit more or are thinking of things that we aren鈥檛 thinking of, and you earn a little bit of trust. I was really lucky that they took that trust and asked me to direct a few shots. I remember in Season 3 the big monster in the mall, trapesing around, smashing things, going through the gap, hunting the kids, all of that was me with some guy and a beach ball running around as the mind flayer, taking those camera angles and eventually, working with the vendors to create the monster and put it into the shot. I鈥檇 have to take a lot of intention with my storyboards, knowing where the monster is going to be, how it鈥檚 going to be framed. It takes it out of that two-dimensional storyboard into an environment where all of a sudden, you鈥檙e in charge of the way the camera moves. That was my first foray into directing and, again, a huge leap for my career. I have a ton of thanks for the Duffer brothers for having that trust in me to allow me to take that leap. Later on that led to directing 500 extras running around and shooting an entire army platoon searching for things throughout the base. Then they had me work with the main cast, and by the end of Season 5, a lot of the end battle is my stuff.

So, is this your ultimate goal, to do more of that? Is there something else that you want to try?

I do truly love all the aspects of it, and even when offered the opportunity to do concept art or design, I cannot pass it up. It feels like a natural progression in my career to move to the next. For the students out there or the people thinking about going into this 鈥� I had to take a leap of faith, and I had to invest in myself, and I had to say, yeah, I can do that. Because I had done it previously, but not to the extent that they needed, and I felt like it was going to be a challenge. I think that ended up paying off quite a bit.

Just like you have other people trusting you, it鈥檚 a moment of you showing yourself some trust, which is cool.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

If you had any advice to share with current students or potential students, what would you say?

One thing that I learned, not only through going to school, but even coming out of school, is that sometimes it鈥檚 not just the raw talent that gets you in the door. It鈥檚 equally important to be a little tenacious and go for what you want to do and not give up. I think that comes from a burning interest in doing something, which I was lucky enough to have. I was lucky to know relatively early on what I wanted to do. I wanted to draw, I wanted to illustrate. I wanted to tell stories in that way. And because I identified that early, I was able to take steps and build and work. Even though it wasn鈥檛 honed in exactly on storyboards, designing creatures, or directing from the get-go, I was always taking steps and building from the fundamentals, taking the courses at 黑料专区 鈥� doing all the things that I could lean on later in design, and I think that really served me well. I don鈥檛 want to discourage any students who aren鈥檛 sure what they want to do and are kind of searching for something. For them, I would say, there鈥檚 an undeniable feeling you get when you鈥檙e doing something that feels really enticing. Like you could do this again and again, and maybe it鈥檚 not very obvious to you at first, but if time goes by and you鈥檙e in it, and you鈥檙e not noticing you鈥檙e in a state of flow, then I would pursue whatever that is. That has been the thing that I鈥檝e propelled forward with, and it鈥檚 evolved over time. It doesn鈥檛 always have to be the one thing. You can listen to your gut, and it鈥檒l tell you where to go. Interests change, you know?

Were there ever any moments of doubt? Did you ever think maybe this isn鈥檛 it for me?

Oh my god. Yeah.

How did you overcome that?

When I came out of school in 2007, 2008 was the housing crisis. I didn鈥檛 always have work as an artist, so I would get other jobs here and there. Even if it was on the periphery, I always wanted to do something creative just to keep my mind in it. I worked at the DIA, for example. I heard about a job where they did these things called 鈥淒rawing in the Galleries.鈥� They鈥檇 set up easels inside some of the galleries and kids would come through. You鈥檇 encourage the kids and the adults to sit down and draw what鈥檚 on the wall or draw something inside the museum. I sort of just stayed around it, always looking for opportunities to keep my mind thinking creatively. The longer you鈥檙e away from it, the more you start to get rusty, and it takes time to build the muscle again. That was just in the early part where there was some doubt and discovery, and it was difficult to stay creative, and I wasn鈥檛 on track in my career. But even when you are working in your career, you have these moments where you feel like all is lost. But the better you get at overcoming those challenges, the more you鈥檝e had to hurdle things 鈥� that鈥檚 the tenacity that I鈥檓 talking about. That鈥檚 another skill to couple with your fundamentals that will serve you for the rest of your career.

What would you tell your younger self?

Don鈥檛 be afraid to push it. Really push your skills and your discipline. A lot of stuff that you鈥檒l do will not matter, but the discipline and the skills and the trust you build in yourself and the creativity that you foster in yourself, the more you push it, the better life gets. It took me a long time to realize that, and even at 黑料专区, looking back, I wish I had maximized my potential, taken more courses in other places, and gotten more knowledge from different crafts when it was available to me. Now I鈥檓 doing not only digital illustration, but I was sculpting later in my career, and I never took a sculpting class at 黑料专区. I was just so bummed about that. The amount of 3D modeling I do now, it鈥檚 insane. I only took one course in intro to Maya at 黑料专区 because I never expanded my interests while I was there. My regret would be that I didn鈥檛 try enough things or push the envelope on everything that I could creatively. When you have those electives, and you have a chance to take something different, you never know how it鈥檒l serve you in the end.

Is there a specific memory you have of when you came to 黑料专区, whether it was your first visit, your first day, or your last day, that sticks out to you?

Oh man, there鈥檚 a lot of those. I remember it very vividly. It was a really important step because, I was going to be an artist, you know, that鈥檚 huge. And even Robert Schefman鈥檚 (previous 黑料专区 Foundation Chair) first lecture is so daunting. It feels so scary. One of the first things he says 鈥� it鈥檚 been how many years I remember this like the back of my hand. He鈥檚 like, 鈥淵ou are probably one of the better artists in your small little community before coming to this school. Now you are basically just as good as everyone else. So, what鈥檚 going to make you a little bit better than everyone else? How are you going to advance?鈥� And of course, he was trying to teach knowledge and expansion, and kind of scare the people out of there that don鈥檛 belong there, maybe. Taking that course and really listening to him and taking it to heart was a big deal. He probably doesn鈥檛 even know who I am. He would never even recognize me or anything 鈥� but that had a profound effect on me. You know, a lot of my experience at 黑料专区 I look back on really fondly. The people that I met there, I keep in touch with, a lot of the teachers, what they told me, and what we worked on, I apply every day. It was a really important thing for me to have been there when I was, and it was an important thing for me to launch out and do my own thing and go off to Los Angeles afterwards. I feel like I鈥檓 really lucky to have had the balance of learning from people in the place where I grew up and then exploring the world and finding what I wanted to do.

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Detroit, MI 鈥� 黑料专区 is proud to announce its 2026 honorary degree recipients: Dustin Yellin, artist and the founder and director of Pioneer Works; Moray Callum, automotive designer; Lynn Alandt, president of the Benson and Edith Ford Fund; and Paul Mobley, portrait photographer. Yellin also delivered the commencement address for the graduating class of 2026.

Dustin Yellin tells stories that weave together the diverse forces of nature and technology. Through his multidisciplinary body of work, which includes object making, painting, animation, and institute building, Yellin draws attention to the interconnectivity of all beings and things. His approach tunnels across traditionally siloed fields so as to crystallize the idea that both the human world, and all other worlds around us, are a collection of enmeshed networks 鈥� even if many are hidden. Yellin鈥檚 glass works in particular, in which paint and images clipped from various print media are embedded within laminated glass sheets to form grand pictographic allegories, invite viewers to engage with the legions of their own consciousness and its embodied emotions, as well as that of our collective society and its infrastructures. Yellin is the founder and director of Pioneer Works, a multidisciplinary cultural center that builds community through the arts and sciences. The artist balances descriptive poetry with a prescriptive social practice so as to span new ways of seeing and being, and build a bridge to a more holistic world.

Yellin lives in Brooklyn, New York. His artwork has been exhibited at Brooklyn Museum, Amorepacific Museum, Leeum Museum, Museo Del Palacio de Bellas Artes, SCAD Museum of Art, The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, City Museum, Colecci贸n Solo, Corning Museum of Glass, and with Creative Time, amongst many others. Yellin is often featured in diverse media ranging from the New York Times to Artforum, Vanity Fair, and TED. He holds an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

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A respected automotive designer from Dumfries, Scotland, Moray S. Callum graduated from Napier University with a degree in industrial design and earned a master鈥檚 degree in transportation design from the Royal College of Art in London. His design career began when working for Chrysler Corporation UK and PSA Peugeot Citro毛n on passenger/commercial vehicles. He joined Ghia SpA as a consultant designer, where his work sparked interest from the Ford company. This ultimately led to a role in Dearborn, Michigan, on North American vehicles such as the 2000 Ford Taurus and the last generation of Ford Super Duty pickups. He relocated to Japan to work for Mazda, then a Ford subsidiary, designing sports cars, contributing notable models like the MX-5 sports car and the CX-7 crossover.

Eventually, he became executive director of design for Ford鈥檚 Americas studios. Moray Callum鈥檚 successes include the new Ford Fusion, Explorer, Mustang, EcoSport and Lincoln MKZ. Ultimately, Callum was promoted to vice president of design at Ford Motor Company, taking responsibility for all concept and production vehicles for the Ford and Lincoln brands globally, unveiling the 2015 sixth-generation Ford Mustang and the 2017 second-generation Ford GT. Additionally, Callum serves on the 黑料专区 Board of Trustees.

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Lynn Alandt is a civic leader and the president of the Benson and Edith Ford Fund. Alandt has served on the 黑料专区 Board of Trustees for more than 25 years and currently serves as the vice chair of the board. She also serves as the board chair for the Eleanor and Edsel Ford House. Additionally, Alandt is trustee emeritus for The Henry Ford Museum and has served on the board of directors for Henry Ford Health System. She is a strong supporter of 黑料专区 and the arts community in and around Detroit.

Paul Mobley is an American portrait photographer celebrated for creating intimate, timeless images that reveal the personality and spirit of his subjects. His commercial work spans corporate, editorial, and advertising photography, with clients ranging from major brands such as Apple, Microsoft, Ford, and American Express to celebrities and entertainers in film, comedy, and music. His portraiture is known for its emotional depth and authenticity, achieved through his ability to quickly connect with people from all walks of life. Mobley trained at 黑料专区 in Detroit and then moved to New York City, where he studied portraiture and assisted renowned photographers, including Annie Leibovitz and David Langley, before launching his own career.

In addition to commercial assignments, Mobley is widely recognized for his long-form personal projects and photography books. His first major project, American Farmer, became a touring exhibition and book that captured the lives of U.S. farmers and traveled for seven years, reaching over 500,000 people. Other notable projects include Everyday Heroes 鈥� portraits of Americans dedicated to helping others; If I Live to Be 100 鈥� intimate portraits of centenarians from all 50 states; and American Firefighter 鈥� portraits and stories of firefighters across the country.

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鈥淭his year鈥檚 honorary degree recipients are incredible leaders across a diverse range of industries,鈥� said Don Tuski, President of 黑料专区. 鈥淲e are thrilled to honor Dustin, Moray, Lynn and Paul, who offer invaluable support and insight into the art and design world.鈥�

The College鈥檚 commencement ceremony took place on May 14, 2026, to honor the graduating class of 2026. Yellin, Callum, Alandt and Mobley join a distinguished list of recent honorary degree recipients, including automotive design leader Michael Simcoe, architect Suchi Reddy, and artist Kevin Beasley, among others.

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