Isabella McLaury, Author at ��ר��

Shannon McPartlon Named Assistant Vice President of Partnerships at ��ר��

Isabella McLaury — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 13:00:06 +0000

Longtime partnerships leader to head the ��ר�� Office of Partnerships as the new Assistant Vice President

Shannon McPartlon, a 20-year ��ר�� 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’s 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.

“Shannon’s expertise and leadership come at a crucial time, when higher education continues to be disrupted by external forces,” said Don Tuski, President of ��ר��. “Serving 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’s business model, positioning and revenue generation.”

Throughout her 20-year career at ��ר��, 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’s 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.

“I am incredibly honored and energized by the opportunity to take on this expanded role,” said Shannon McPartlon, Associate Vice President of Partnerships. “My 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’s 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 ��ר��.”

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

ABOUT THE COLLEGE FOR CREATIVE STUDIES

The ��ר�� (��ר��) is a nonprofit, private college accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and authorized by the Michigan Education Department to grant Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. ��ר��, located in midtown Detroit, strives to provide students with the tools needed for successful careers in the dynamic and growing creative industries. ��ר�� fosters students’ 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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Driving Growth and Philanthropy: Meet ��ר��’s New Vice President for Institutional Advancement Denise Thomas

Isabella McLaury — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:00:22 +0000

If Denise Thomas could pick up the phone and call every single ��ר�� alum and tell them their alma mater appreciates them and is there for them, even long after they’ve obtained their degree, she says she would.

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 ��ר��’s 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.

“At ��ר��, 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,” Thomas says on why she came to the College. “I was going to work for an organization that is incredibly important to the Detroit community, and be able to make a difference.”

As ��ר�� 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 “mission- and vision-connected fundraising.” That involved identifying the College’s 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.

“It’s about finding out who loves and believes in ��ר��, sharing the mission and vision, and finding out what problem we could solve together,” Thomas says, adding that at one point, the team met with every ��ר�� Board of Trustees member via Zoom for their insights. “Philanthropy is not just about raising money; it’s building community, pride and a shared responsibility for where we’re going.”

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’s (CASE) Alumni Engagement Survey in TK year(s). Thomas and the team learned ��ר�� 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 ��ר�� for decades to come.

“When 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 ��ר�� goes,” Thomas reiterates. “It will lead to philanthropy, but it’s really about building that community of our biggest fans.”

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Michael Maher Jr. (’07 Illustration)

Isabella McLaury — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:00:04 +0000

Michael Maher Jr. (’07 Illustration), is a storyteller at his core. And he’s living proof that with enough tenacity and a strong gut instinct, your creative voice can change worlds. What started as a job moving furniture on film sets has evolved into a decades-long career in the entertainment industry. From designing the iconic posters in The Ides of March and prop storyboards for the Oscar-winning Argo, to bringing the terrifying Vecna to life in Netflix’s Stranger Things, Michael’s journey is a masterclass in unlocking your creative potential.

The Interview

“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.”

–Michael Maher Jr.

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

Concept and Visual Development work for "Cosmos".

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 ��ר�� 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’re 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’t 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’s 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 – 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’ve ever had.

Concept and Visual Development work for "Cosmos".

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’s 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’s 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’s character – and this is a true story, believe it or not – 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.

Prop campaign poster for "The Ides of March".

How did you hear about the College? What got you in tune with ��ר�� to want to apply there?

Prop campaign poster featured in "The Ides of March".

I had seen some examples of commercial illustration around – one of my best friends’ dads was a commercial illustrator in Dearborn, Gary Ciccarelli, and he had actually taught at ��ר�� 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, “well, you know the place to go is ��ר��.” I think I told him that I was considering other options, and he was like, “it’s right in your backyard.” So, I took his advice and it just ended up being the right fit, right move.

That’s really nice. Have you and Gary ever had the opportunity to talk in recent years with everything you’ve done?

Every once in a while I get a text or something just saying, “I saw something that you’ve worked on.” He’s always been somebody in my corner. I feel like I’ve 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’s books, and he helped me out with that. So, I owe a lot to him.

Switching gears a little bit, how do you feel ��ר�� prepared you for the jobs that you’re doing today or for your career in general?

It was very heavily traditional. Everything that I was doing at ��ר�� 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’t 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’s present in all of those core classes that I had with Dave Chow and Keith and everything that I learned from Gil Ashby. They’re all just super influential.

Prop campaign posters featured in "The Ides of March".

“I think to be a successful commercial artist, the collaboration actually comes before you even do any of the drawing.”

–Michael Maher Jr.

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

Oh man, it’s 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’m creating some character that’s going to be on screen, that’s going to be a living, breathing thing, that’s going to interact with characters. Vecna (from Netflix’s 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’t 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’s running away from all the things falling out of the sky and heading towards the portal, and Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” is playing, and all of that is happening, in my mind in a room where I’m just making these drawings. Then they put the drawings on a big board while they’re filming it and they literally cross off the drawings per shot. Then you have a sequence, and that becomes something that’s 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’ve been lucky enough to be a part of. And it just starts with me reading the script and getting inspired and thinking, “What would be cool?” That’s me just making a little drawing. That’s where it starts. And then it’s on the screen. It’s crazy.

Concept Design of Vecna 2.0 for "Stranger Things 5".

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’re going to have somebody who will give you an assignment, and then you’ll have to iterate. Very rarely is it the first thing that works, especially in film. You have the art department, you’re 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’s 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’s opinions on what they would want and synthesize everyone’s needs, and try to make it as smooth as possible. It’s such a mandatory obligation to be collaborative and eventually it just feels secondhand.

“Sometimes it’s not just the raw talent that gets you in the door. It’s equally important to be a little tenacious and go for what you want to do and not give up.”

–Michael Maher Jr.

I think it’s 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’s 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’s hard to narrow it down. It’s hard to know where to start. It’s hard to know what to focus on. Anything with repetition becomes easier, and you won’t have that uneasiness inside when you’re stepping into whatever you’re endeavoring to do. I think it’s good to have those feelings first. There’s 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’s just under the surface of what you’re doing? That’s what gets to be really fun, when there’s stuff that people don’t 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’t really know why. You know, that’s cool.

Selected storyboard panels from the MAC-Z sequence in "Stranger Things 5".

More recently, you worked on Stranger Things. You had the opportunity to direct. Is that something that you’ve 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’s a familiarity there. After a while, they’re like, okay, you know the tone of the show. You’ve 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’t 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’d have to take a lot of intention with my storyboards, knowing where the monster is going to be, how it’s going to be framed. It takes it out of that two-dimensional storyboard into an environment where all of a sudden, you’re 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.

“You can listen to your gut, and it’ll tell you where to go.”

–Michael Maher Jr.

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 – 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’s a moment of you showing yourself some trust, which is cool.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Selected storyboard panels from the MAC-Z sequence in "Stranger Things 5".

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’s not just the raw talent that gets you in the door. It’s 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’t 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 ��ר�� – doing all the things that I could lean on later in design, and I think that really served me well. I don’t want to discourage any students who aren’t sure what they want to do and are kind of searching for something. For them, I would say, there’s an undeniable feeling you get when you’re doing something that feels really enticing. Like you could do this again and again, and maybe it’s not very obvious to you at first, but if time goes by and you’re in it, and you’re not noticing you’re in a state of flow, then I would pursue whatever that is. That has been the thing that I’ve propelled forward with, and it’s evolved over time. It doesn’t always have to be the one thing. You can listen to your gut, and it’ll tell you where to go. Interests change, you know?

“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.”

–Michael Maher Jr.

Were there ever any moments of doubt? Did you ever think maybe this isn’t 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’t 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 “Drawing in the Galleries.” They’d set up easels inside some of the galleries and kids would come through. You’d encourage the kids and the adults to sit down and draw what’s 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’re 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’t 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’ve had to hurdle things – that’s the tenacity that I’m talking about. That’s another skill to couple with your fundamentals that will serve you for the rest of your career.

“A lot of my experience at ��ר�� 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.”

–Michael Maher Jr.

What would you tell your younger self?

Don’t be afraid to push it. Really push your skills and your discipline. A lot of stuff that you’ll 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 ��ר��, 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’m doing not only digital illustration, but I was sculpting later in my career, and I never took a sculpting class at ��ר��. I was just so bummed about that. The amount of 3D modeling I do now, it’s insane. I only took one course in intro to Maya at ��ר�� because I never expanded my interests while I was there. My regret would be that I didn’t 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’ll serve you in the end.

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

Oh man, there’s 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’s huge. And even Robert Schefman’s (previous ��ר�� Foundation Chair) first lecture is so daunting. It feels so scary. One of the first things he says – it’s been how many years I remember this like the back of my hand. He’s like, “You 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’s going to make you a little bit better than everyone else? How are you going to advance?” And of course, he was trying to teach knowledge and expansion, and kind of scare the people out of there that don’t belong there, maybe. Taking that course and really listening to him and taking it to heart was a big deal. He probably doesn’t even know who I am. He would never even recognize me or anything – but that had a profound effect on me. You know, a lot of my experience at ��ר�� 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’m 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.

Michael Maher Jr. photographed by Sam Gold.

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��ר�� Announces Esteemed Group of Honorary Degree Recipients

Isabella McLaury — Thu, 21 May 2026 18:58:12 +0000

��ר�� Announces Esteemed Group of Honorary Degree Recipients

Detroit, MI – ��ר�� 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 – even if many are hidden. Yellin’s 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, Colección 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.

Dustin Yellin delivers the commencement address to the graduating class of 2026.

A respected automotive designer from Dumfries, Scotland, Moray S. Callum graduated from Napier University with a degree in industrial design and earned a master’s 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 Citroën 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’s Americas studios. Moray Callum’s 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 ��ר�� Board of Trustees.

Moray Callum speaks to the graduating class of 2026.

Lynn Alandt

Lynn Alandt is a civic leader and the president of the Benson and Edith Ford Fund. Alandt has served on the ��ר�� 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 ��ר�� 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 ��ר�� 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 — portraits of Americans dedicated to helping others; If I Live to Be 100 — intimate portraits of centenarians from all 50 states; and American Firefighter — portraits and stories of firefighters across the country.

Paul Mobley displays his honorary degree alongside President Don Tuski.

“This year’s honorary degree recipients are incredible leaders across a diverse range of industries,” said Don Tuski, President of ��ר��. “We are thrilled to honor Dustin, Moray, Lynn and Paul, who offer invaluable support and insight into the art and design world.”

The College’s 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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Veronika Scott is the 2026 Distinguished Alumni

Isabella McLaury — Fri, 15 May 2026 15:32:44 +0000

Veronika Scott, who turned a class project into an internationally recognized workforce development organization, is ��ר��’ 2026 Distinguished Alumni.

“I don’t think I would’ve started Empowerment Plan anywhere else,” said Scott, ‘11 Product Design.

Upon the advice of her grandfather, Scott chose to attend ��ר��, which awarded her a scholarship and financial aid, rather than taking out student loans to go to Yale University. It was during her junior year that Product Design Professor Stephen Schock challenged Scott and her classmates to design a product that filled a specific need in the community.

Leaning into her own experiences with poverty and homelessness growing up, Scott spent three days a week for about five months at the Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO), a Detroit-based health and human services agency. Through conversations with those who’d been displaced, some for years, she learned more about the realities people who live on the street face and was inspired to design the first prototype of what is now the weather-resistant EMPWR coat.

“It was about creating something I wish had existed for my own parents,” Scott said.

That prototype took 80 hours to create, and unlike the coat-sleeping bag version now distributed across the United States and to 22 other countries, Scott’s original design was a coat-tent.

“The tent part never panned out,” she said. “And it was hilarious.”

Once the project was complete, people Scott had spoken to through NSO began asking about where they could get their coats. “And I said, ‘Well, I don’t know. It takes me two weeks to make one and you don’t want the one I’m making because it’s not that great. I’m not a good sewer,’” she said.

Even though Scott had received mixed feedback, she decided to pushed forward. Her first challenge was startup capital, since she didn’t have the funds personally or even close family or friends to approach. Instead, she turned to ��ר��.

Scott met “with everyone that I could meet with as a student,” from professors to the legal team, who advised her to create a business plan. Figuring out that essential roadmap for any organization required the advice of more ��ר�� staff members. She eventually connected with Imre Molnar, who helped guide her project through an independent study. The two met weekly, with Molnar — a former design director for outdoor gear maker Patagonia — eventually setting her up with Detroit-based Carhartt. “He truly believed that [Empowerment Plan] could be something, that it actually could be a business or an organization when I did not,” Scott said. “I didn’t know that it could be something like that. And I certainly didn’t think I was the right person either.” For early iterations of the EMPWR coat, Scott tried a variety of recycled materials, such as billboard fabric, construction fencing and door paneling from General Motors’ vehicles, as well as Tyvek. “You name it, I tried to sew with it,” she said. Learning to take feedback while at ��ר�� was crucial to the development process, and to her role as CEO and founder of Empowerment Plan. “One thing that I took away from ��ר�� was how to take a critique and learn from those critiques and continue to improve,” she said. After graduation, Scott began working with different partners, including Carhartt and RefrigiWear, an Atlanta-based company that produces garments for cold storage. According to Scott, Carhartt helped her to understand how to make long-lasting, durable apparel, and from RefrigiWear, what goes into clothing designed for temperatures as low as negative 40 degrees. But as it turns out, finding the perfect materials for the EMPWR coat and then producing and distributing the sleeping bag-coat was only part of what Scott would do through Empowerment Plan. Because one afternoon, as she was leaving NSO during those days of initial research, a woman had told her, “I don’t need a jacket. I need a job.” That stuck with her, and when it came time to hire employees, she sought people who would need to use the coat — with hopes of them never having to use the coat again. Empowerment Plan created a “paid-to-learn” model, pairing full-time employment with supportive services and programs. In addition to working as sewing techs, employees can earn their GEDs, gain financial skills and receive mental health services. Those early years of creating her organization wouldn’t have been possible if she’d incurred student loan debt, given that she didn’t collect a salary for two years. “Had I needed to worry about paying back student loans or deferring loans, I wouldn’t have been able to do it,” Scott said. “I think of that as [not only] another gift from my grandfather, but also ��ר��.” Empowerment Plan also wouldn’t have helped hundreds of employees and their families overcome homelessness or distributed its 100,000th coat in March. “I love my job,” Scott said. “What I’ve realized over the years is how lucky I am. I had an incredible experience [at ��ר��]. I had an incredible mentor and wouldn’t be the same without it.”

The post Veronika Scott is the 2026 Distinguished Alumni appeared first on ��ר��.

The Power of Words: The James S. Goldwasser Award for Excellence in Writing

Isabella McLaury — Mon, 04 May 2026 14:54:57 +0000

When Jim Goldwasser’s three-year-old son darted into a ��ר�� classroom mid-lecture to wrap himself around his father’s leg, a photography student captured the moment: a laughing little boy, a delighted professor and a room full of smiling classmates taking in the unexpected happening. The photo lives on in the Goldwasser family album — an unscripted snapshot of the warmth and humanity that Professor James S. Goldwasser brought to the ��ר��.

“He had a genuine interest in his students, a devotion to the classroom, and a deep appreciation for fine literature and well-crafted writing,” recalls his wife, Judy Goldwasser.

Making Writers Visible in an Art & Design College

For three decades, Goldwasser championed the idea that the same thinking process behind writing is not only essential to producing the visual arts, but it also has much in common with the very core of creative output.

As he once wrote in “Topic and Talk,” a publication of the Art School of the Society of Arts and Crafts (the forerunner of today’s ��ר��):

“The sound created by walking on the parking lot cinders or the view from the window of a classroom on a spring day may prove to be the original catalyst that produces your photography, your painting or my short story or novel.”

After earning his MFA from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop — where he studied under literary greats such as Kurt Vonnegut, Nelson Algren and Richard Yates — he spent four years teaching English at Wayne State University before he joined ��ר��. He quickly became part of the ��ר�� fabric: advising students, chairing the General Studies Department and various committees, and showing up for nearly every exhibition and event throughout Metro Detroit.

Creating a Living Tribute

When Jim passed away in 2000, his family, friends and colleagues came together to ensure his influence would continue. Their generosity established the James S. Goldwasser Award for Excellence in Writing, a lasting tribute to his belief in the power of language. Each spring, the award, presented at the ��ר�� graduation and judged by ��ר�� Liberal Arts faculty, recognizes two graduating seniors for exceptional fiction writing. It honors the rigor, empathy and imagination Jim brought to his teaching.

“The James S. Goldwasser Award celebrates Jim’s love of words, stories and students,” observes Dorene O’Brien, ��ר�� creative writing instructor and longtime contest judge, who enjoyed many years as Jim’s colleague. “Jim would appreciate the award benefits that have remained constant throughout the past 25 years: validation of writing excellence; positive career impact; encouragement of innovation and risk-taking; and preservation of the uniquely human act of storytelling. Jim would have been proud of every hopeful entrant for this prestigious award.”

For the winners, it’s far more than the prize money and recognition. It’s a reminder that language, like design, can change how we view the world.

James S. Goldwasser

Scholarship in Action

This year, Illustration Senior Lily Jarnac captures the empathy and imagination Jim inspired in his classrooms with her winning story, “The Glowing Tree.” She describes the experience of winning the writing award as a moment of affirmation:

“I’m very thankful for this award. It is hard for me and for most students to comprehend that they deserve that title, that they are professional artists, writers, or photographers, no longer the children who spent their time admiring the world around them. The Goldwasser Award cemented this idea in my mind. It reminded me that I am allowed to take up space in the creative world, that I am capable enough, and that people might actually care about the words I put on a page. They are words so personal and private that I often forget there is someone out there who feels them as deeply as I do.”

For fellow award winner Fiona McCabe, Concept Design Senior, the recognition brought a new sense of confidence:

“I have never been a very confident person, always doubting myself and my writing skills. As much as I love writing, I always thought that I didn’t have what it takes to make compelling stories that people would be invested in. I wasn’t even going to apply to the Goldwasser writing competition until my professors, friends and family heavily encouraged me to do so. I’m an artist and designer, and I had begun to think that maybe that’s all I would ever be good at, that maybe I should just stay in my own lane. But when I was notified that I was a winner, it was an eye-opening moment for me. Winning this award has given me new confidence and shown me that I don’t have to stay in my lane of visual arts. I can move forward knowing I can expand outward and find success in another form of storytelling that I deeply love.”

Together, their reflections speak to the spirit of the award, encouraging students to trust their voices, take creative risks, and recognize the value of their own storytelling. The award continues the work Jim did best: noticing talent, encouraging creativity and helping writers feel seen.

A Legacy of Presence and Mentorship

Jim’s students have vivid memories of their times with him both in and outside of the classroom.

“When I think of Jim, it’s always with a smile,” observes Mary Haddad Raveane, Advertising Design BFA ’79, who took several of his classes. “He was an integral part of my education, and he had a way of connecting writing to art. His approach to writing in Composition 101 helped me see that writing quick essays was the equivalent of gesture poses in life drawing, and he used the art studio method of having students read each other’s essays and critique them in class. His American Novels class helped me develop a lifelong love of reading.”

“In addition to being a great teacher, Jim was a wonderful human being. He had a sparkling, dry wit that was contagious. He was just fun to be around. When we had evening classes, Jim would often join students and Fine Arts faculty members for picnic dinners. I always thought of him as the jovial parent in a group of adolescents.”

Looking Ahead

Now, as ��ר�� marks the 25th anniversary of the James S. Goldwasser Award for Excellence in Writing, the College celebrates more than a competition. It celebrates a legacy — one that continues to nurture artists who write, writers who design and creatives who use words to see the world more clearly.

The award stands as a living tribute to Jim’s life and teaching — a reminder that words, when chosen with care, have the power to shape not only art, but lives.

For more information about establishing a scholarship or to learn more about the ��ר��, please contact Katie Rusak at krusak@ccsdetroit.edu or 313.664.7861.

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��ר�� Presented The Show 2026 at Somerset Collection

Isabella McLaury — Fri, 01 May 2026 19:55:22 +0000

“Future Fantastic” showcased emerging designers shaping fashion through material, narrative, and form

DETROIT, MI – The ��ר�� (��ר��) Fashion Design Program presented The Show 2026 on Sunday, April 26, at the Skywalk at Somerset Collection. The annual runway show brought together industry leaders, tastemakers, and the creative community for an evening of new work from emerging designers.

The Show featured over 100 looks from junior and senior students in apparel and accessories design. The evening included a VIP reception followed by the runway presentation at 8 p.m. Collections by Senior Designers Izzy Abohasira, Mar Bissada, Hayden Brice, Maxwell Honeycutt, Falina Jimerson, Griffin Mesner, Sarah Nofar, Ryan Putnam, Veronica Wardowski, and Emma Wisler, and Junior Designers Quade Feller, Luka Gallé, Santino Giglio, Bryn Hazen, Athan Hillman, Megan Hotchkiss, Sophia Jensen, Lilly Steele, and Bryce Truby, explored personal narrative, cultural history, and speculative futures, blending traditional craftsmanship with advanced fabrication.

The event welcomed 354 guests. Notable attendees included Chuck Bennett, Fox 2 News Style Ambassador; Stephanie Chang, Michigan State Senate; Diana Costescu, Tapestry; Stuart McMillan, Banana Republic; Millie de La Valette, Louis Vuitton; Owen Davenport, General Motors; Gretchen Davidson, Former Chair of the National Council of Arts and Culture; Ben Ewy, Carhartt; Ralph Gilles, Stellantis and ��ר�� Board of Trustees; Danialle Karmanos, Mad Dog Technology and ��ר�� Board of Trustees; Simion Kayiwa, Hermès; Drew Little, Fear of God; Donald Manvel, ��ר�� Board of Trustees; Barbara May, B. May Bags; Heaven Montero, LITO; Silvia Prada, Kate Spade; Tracy Reese, Hope for Flowers; Tiffadelic, Artist; Tiff Massey, Artist; Mario Moore, Artist; Ken Walker, K. Walker Collective; Ash Hanson, Nike; and Chris Webb, General Motors.

This year’s theme, “Future Fantastic,” focused on the intersection of contemporary fashion and forward-looking design. Drawing on the material language of contemporary runway and the cinematic minimalism of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, the presentation created an environment defined by light, reflection, and precision.

“We’ve created a kind of laboratory for fashion at ��ר��. Here, students experiment, take risks, and develop their own design language,” said Aki Choklat, Linda Dresner Endowed Chair in Fashion Design, ��ר��. “That same interdisciplinary approach extends across the College. New programs like our Fashion Business Management BA prepare students to meet the demands of a global, rapidly evolving industry. The Show reflects that process through collections that are highly individual, technically resolved, and grounded in innovation and making.”

The runway, designed in collaboration with ��ר��’s Interior Design department, transformed the Skywalk into a spatial installation. Suspended frames, projected light, and reflective materials defined the setting, while metallic surfaces and industrial sheeting caught and diffused light as models moved through the space.

“What better way to mark our 30th anniversary than by hosting the ��ר��’ The Show, spotlighting the next generation of fashion,” said Nate Forbes, managing partner of The Forbes Company and member of the ��ר�� Board of Trustees. “As an institution defined by vision, design, and excellence in craft, it’s only fitting that our signature skywalk becomes a runway for such a remarkable event.”

The presentation emphasized a rigorous, studio-based approach to design at ��ר��, where students develop work from concept through execution. The resulting collections were highly individual, technically resolved, and grounded in both innovation and making.

The Show continues to serve as a platform for emerging designers, connecting students with recruiters, press, and industry professionals. As Detroit’s creative ecosystem expands across design, fashion, and cultural production, the runway positions ��ר�� as a key site of talent development.

About Somerset Collection
Somerset Collection is located on the corner of Big Beaver Road and Coolidge in Troy. A 700-foot-long glass-enclosed moving skywalk spans Big Beaver, connecting Somerset North with Somerset South. Anchored by Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Macy’s, Somerset Collection is home to more than 180 stores and restaurants. Information about center or store-specific events, as well as store hours, can be found at .

Based in Southfield, Michigan, The Forbes Company () is a nationally recognized owner, developer, and manager of iconic regional shopping centers, recognized throughout their respective markets for their retail innovation, fashion leadership, distinctive architecture, and luxury appointments. In addition to Somerset Collection, these properties include: The Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; The Mall at Millenia in Orlando; and Waterside Shops in Naples, Florida.

About the ��ר��
The ��ר�� (��ר��) is a nonprofit, private college accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and authorized by the Michigan Department of Education to grant Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. ��ר��, located in midtown Detroit, strives to provide students with the tools needed for successful careers in the dynamic and growing creative industries. ��ר��, named an Opportunity College by the Carnegie Classifications, fosters students’ 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, including 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.

Selected Designer Collections

The collections in The Show 2026 explore identity, material, and narrative through diverse perspectives. Izzy Abohasira reimagines Western iconography, while Marwa Bissada examines love and division through the Berlin Wall. Hayden Bryce merges maritime and heritage craft, and Arturo Chaney develops a futuristic language shaped by technology and nature. Falina Jimerson builds a mythological world, while Maxwell Honeycutt reinterprets Mediterranean craft traditions. Griffin Mesner draws from Detroit’s sports history, and Sarah Nofar reflects on immigrant identity. Ryan Putnam explores the body through sport and sexuality, Veronica Wardowski channels Detroit’s industrial and musical legacy, and Emma Wisler examines performance and self-presentation.

Izzy Abohasira
Izzy Aboasira’s collection, No Country for Men, draws inspiration from spaghetti and neo-western films. It imagines a posse of outlaw women navigating the American West in the late nineteenth century. Films such as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Django Unchained, and Tombstone influenced the work. The eight-piece collection translates cinematic storytelling into fashion, envisioning garments repurposed from men’s clothing taken in battle. It uses traditional menswear materials like leather, fur, heavy wool, and pinstripes. The designs have distressed finishes and frayed textures that evoke the harsh realities of frontier life. Through No Country for Men, Abouasira reinterprets Western iconography to explore rebellion, survival, and female autonomy.

Marwa Bissada
Marwa Bissada’s collection, Romeo and Juliet 1989, explores love, distance, and resilience. She uses the symbolic lens of the Berlin Wall, combining this with Shakespeare’s story of star-crossed lovers. Inspired by her father’s time in Berlin, while the wall was still standing, Bissada reimagines five scenes from Romeo and Juliet–each presented as a pair of menswear and womenswear looks, for a total of 10 garments. The collection features 1980s silhouettes and highlights the emotional divide of the wall. Light, romantic materials–jersey knits, sequins, chiffon, and silk–sit alongside her signature denim. Clean construction and a modern edge balance the softness of the fabrics, offering a contemporary interpretation of love enduring across borders.

Hayden Bryce
Hayden Bryce’s collection, Harborlands, draws from London’s canal boat culture and the northern Michigan landscape, reflecting the designer’s connection to both regions. This six-look collection merges British maritime influences with American heritage style. Apparel, footwear, and bags are constructed using traditional shoemaking and leatherworking techniques. Materials such as distressed canvas, braided leather, and rugged hardware establish the utilitarian character of life on the water. Sweaters, hand-knit by the Black Sheep Knitters Guild, further highlight the craft emphasis. Harborlands weaves together nautical references and heritage techniques, creating designs shaped by place, material, and personal history.

Arturo Cheney
Arturo Chaney’s collection, Subsystem, explores a personal vision of futurism, shaped by imagination, that focuses on the intersection of technology and nature. Influences include video games, science fiction films, and the futuristic design language of the 1990s. Drawing inspiration from Syd Mead and Robert Valli, Chaney creates fluid forms that evoke both biological structures and advanced technologies. The eight-piece collection features sculptural accessories shaped by extensive 3D modeling and CAD processes. Boots, bags, eyewear, and harnesses are crafted in leather, steel, and silver—mainly in white and gray. Through Subsystem, Chaney imagines a speculative future of safety, inclusivity, and new forms of identity.

Falina Jimerson
Falina Jimerson’s collection, TYTO, tells a story rooted in worldbuilding, imagining a society shaped by owls. This six-look collection introduces archetypal characters–a royal, a doctor, an assassin–each representing a role within a fictional revolution inspired by owl mythology and the narrative world of Owls of Ga’Hoole. Garments are constructed from natural materials such as wool, silk, and linen, with draping, pleating, embroidery, and feather elements referencing owl anatomy and movement. Airbrushed burn marks and distressed details suggest conflict and transformation, while elegant silhouettes unify the narrative-driven designs. Through TYTO, Dimerson explores how fashion can serve as a vehicle for symbolism, character, and speculative storytelling.

Maxwell Honeycutt
Maxwell Honeycutt’s collection, Sabiha Mati, draws on his Maltese and Greek cultural heritage to reinterpret Mediterranean craft traditions. The collection’s name combines the Maltese word for “beautiful” and the Mediterranean symbol of the evil eye, exploring themes of beauty and protection rooted in this lineage. Drawing on mosaic tiles, lace-making, and macramé, the six-look collection translates traditional techniques through modern processes, including 3D-printed fabric and laser cutting. Silk organza and chiffon dominate the construction, emphasizing texture, movement, and layered craftsmanship, while experimental textiles combine symbolic Mediterranean motifs with contemporary techniques.

Griffin Mesner
Griffin Mesner’s Mesner collection draws on his lifelong connection to hockey and family, translating the sport’s history into a series of leather accessories. Inspired by Detroit and attending Red Wings games with his parents, Mesner references vintage goalie masks, early protective gear, and archival hockey materials. The six-look collection features footwear and bags made primarily from leather, treated and distressed to evoke mid-century wear through oiling, tuck marks, and raw edges. Minimal hardware keeps the focus on material and craftsmanship. Mesner combines personal memory and sports heritage to create work rooted in tradition, durability, and familial bonds. As Mesner explores Detroit’s sporting legacy, another creative perspective draws inspiration from the city’s industrial and musical heritage.

Sarah Nofar
Sarah Nofar’s collection, 13643 Deluxe Market, is inspired by her Iraqi grandmother’s immigration to Detroit and the family market named in the title. Nofar imagines how her grandmother–who dreamed of designing fashion–might have created accessories for Detroit’s Seven Mile neighborhood in the late 1960s. The designer reinterprets family and cultural history through a contemporary design lens. This seven-look collection spotlights footwear and handbags primarily in leather. Techniques include draping, lacing, embossing, and beading, each inspired by Chaldean Catholic traditions. Through 13643 Deluxe Market, Nofar merges family narrative, Detroit history, and material experimentation to honor the resilience of immigrant women.

Ryan Putnam
Ryan Putnam’s collection, Round 2, explores the intersections of sexuality, confidence, and movement, using the visual language of contemporary sportswear. Inspirations include 1980s and 1990s athletic apparel, lingerie, and Nicolas Ghesquière’s Balenciaga. The collection, comprising six looks, emphasizes the body and its expression. Stretch materials–neoprene, Lycra, spandex–contour garments closely to the body’s form. Hardware elements such as grommets, ties, and cinch cords allow for adjustable openings that reshape the silhouette. Unconventional materials, even basketball netting, challenge accepted notions of luxury. Putnam reflects on his Midwestern upbringing and personal journey toward self-expression through these designs.

Veronica Wardowski
Veronica Wardowski’s collection, City of Firsts, draws on Detroit’s legacy of innovation, exploring the city’s industrial history alongside the rise of Detroit techno. The eight-piece collection references both the 1920s automotive boom and 1990s underground music culture, merging industrial materials with architectural silhouettes inspired by the skyline. Wardowski uses leather, secondhand faux fur, chains, and metal hardware, with modular construction that allows pieces to be reconfigured. Garments feature hand-cut metal fringe, pleated corsetry, and 3D-printed rave boot heels wrapped in duct tape, evoking assembly-line aesthetics and techno’s DIY ethos. Designed to create strong silhouettes that take up space, the collection centers women’s wear as a vehicle for presence and power, while modular elements and metal “fabric” introduce movement and sound, reflecting Detroit techno’s experimental approach to making.

Emma Wisler
Emma Wisler’s collection, Who Are You When You’re Not Performing?, explores the tension between authenticity and self-presentation. Exaggerated silhouettes and visual illusion heighten this theme. Ballet and research on Venetian carnival masks influence her approach, prompting a close examination of how people amplify certain aspects to hide vulnerability. The seven-look collection is dominated by dresses in a stark black-and-white palette. Structured pleats and sculptural forms range from minimal to dramatic. Garments use polyester dupioni, crinkle crepe satin, and felt bases with taffeta lining. As each look builds in volume, the final design expands on the collection’s ideas about performance and identity.

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��ר�� Game Design Program ranked as One of Top Game Design Bachelor’s of Fine Arts Degree Programs in the U.S. by Animation Career Review

Isabella McLaury — Fri, 01 May 2026 10:00:06 +0000

��ר�� Game Design Program ranked as One of Top Game Design Bachelor's of Fine Arts Degree Programs in the U.S. by Animation Career Review. Learn more here.

The post appeared first on ��ר��.

��ר�� Appoints Allison J. Puff as Next Provost

Isabella McLaury — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:00:08 +0000

Photo Credit: Ashley Story

��ר�� has named Allison J. Puff as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, effective July 15, 2026.

###DETROIT, Mich., April 30, 2026 – The ��ר�� (��ר��) has named Allison J. Puff as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the institution’s chief academic officer. Puff brings a distinguished record of academic leadership, most recently serving as Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and Interim Co-President at the Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI).

Puff is an educator and academic leader who has spent her career at the intersection of creative practice and higher education. She is recognized for her ability to navigate institutional change, align academic priorities with strategic enrollment and retention strategies, and champion inclusive student-centered practices. As ��ר��’s Provost, Puff will lead the institution’s academic vision, strategy, and operations, overseeing all degree-granting majors, academic departments, and student success resources.

��ר�� President Don Tuski shared, “The ��ר�� community is thrilled to have Allison Puff join ��ר�� as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. Allison brings an amazing array of skills and abilities to ��ר�� at a critical time for us. I am looking forward to working with her on many initiatives.”

At KCAI, Puff co-led the institution through a strategic transition and oversaw a $13M+ academic budget. Under her leadership, KCAI achieved record enrollment for the 2024–2026 academic cycles and improved first-year fall-to-spring retention from 90.4% to 93.5%. She developed the initial vision for KCAI’s Art+Design Labs, guiding its implementation and contributing to a 450% increase in non-credit offerings. Prior to KCAI, Puff held numerous leadership roles at Farmingdale State College, the largest of the State University of New York’s (SUNY) applied science and technology colleges.

“I’m excited to join the ��ר�� at such an important moment,” said Puff. “��ר��’s commitment to access and opportunity, combined with the strength of its academic programs, creates a powerful foundation for what creative education can be. I’m looking forward to working with faculty, staff, and students to build on that momentum.”

Over the past three years, ��ר�� has aggressively expanded its mission to inspire creative potential across all backgrounds. Key initiatives include accelerated bachelor of arts programs for creative business careers, new transfer pathways, expanded experiential learning, and its Apple Academy partnership. Puff’s leadership will be instrumental in sustaining this momentum as ��ר�� enters its next phase of transformation.

Puff earned an MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay from The School of Visual Arts and undergraduate degrees in English and Communication, and Illustration. She is the recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Farmingdale Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching, and a Faculty Leadership Award at Farmingdale State College. Her professional service has included national leadership roles with the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) National Design Educators Community and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Education Board.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE FOR CREATIVE STUDIES

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Fall 2025 Sponsored Projects at the ��ר��

Isabella McLaury — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:59:36 +0000

During the Fall semester, the ��ר�� hosted 13 educational partnerships, including a diverse range of sponsored projects and competitions that engaged a variety of academic departments. Students partnered with local and global brands and Detroit community non-profits to work on projects tailored to meet the needs of our partners. Educational partnerships at ��ר�� are highly conceptual and allow ��ר�� students the opportunity to participate in creative, research-based assignments, interacting with designers and staff from the collaborating partners. Highlighted collaborations during the Fall semester include:

American Chemistry Council – Plastics Division x Transportation Design
Bedrock x Communication Design and Strategy, Interdisciplinary Art and Design, Interior Design and Fashion Design
BRP International Design Challenge x Transportation Design
DSC Design Sprint x Product Design
Foley & Lardner LLP x Illustration
Ford Motor Company x Transportation Design & Graduate Color and Materials Design
Gardner White x Communication Design and Strategy
Hagopian x ��ר��
Movement Festival x Communication Design & Strategy
New Balance x Product Design and Graduate Color and Materials Design
Stafford House x Interior Design
Stellantis x Transportation Design
Urban Electronic, Inc. x Entertainment Arts

“Partnering with the ��ר�� during the holiday season on Windows on Woodward provided the opportunity to support emerging creative talent while strengthening connections between our downtown retailers and Detroit’s vibrant arts community,” said Francesca Eid, Bedrock Vice President, Experience. “Initiatives like this allow students to bring their creative ideas to life while contributing to the energy and spirit of the Lower Woodward corridor. We value these collaborations with local institutions and civic partners as an important way to nurture the next generation of creatives as they help shape Detroit’s future.”

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Isabella McLaury, Author at ����ר��

Shannon McPartlon Named Assistant Vice President of Partnerships at ����ר��

Driving Growth and Philanthropy: Meet ����ר��’s New Vice President for Institutional Advancement Denise Thomas

Michael Maher Jr. (’07 Illustration)

The Interview

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

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

How did you hear about the College? What got you in tune with ����ר�� to want to apply there?

That’s really nice. Have you and Gary ever had the opportunity to talk in recent years with everything you’ve done?

Switching gears a little bit, how do you feel ����ר�� prepared you for the jobs that you’re doing today or for your career in general?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Were there ever any moments of doubt? Did you ever think maybe this isn’t it for me?

How did you overcome that?

What would you tell your younger self?

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

����ר�� Announces Esteemed Group of Honorary Degree Recipients

Veronika Scott is the 2026 Distinguished Alumni

The Power of Words: The James S. Goldwasser Award for Excellence in Writing

Making Writers Visible in an Art & Design College

Creating a Living Tribute

Scholarship in Action

A Legacy of Presence and Mentorship

Looking Ahead

����ר�� Presented The Show 2026 at Somerset Collection

Selected Designer Collections

����ר�� Game Design Program ranked as One of Top Game Design Bachelor’s of Fine Arts Degree Programs in the U.S. by Animation Career Review

����ר�� Appoints Allison J. Puff as Next Provost

Fall 2025 Sponsored Projects at the ����ר��

Isabella McLaury, Author at ��ר��

Shannon McPartlon Named Assistant Vice President of Partnerships at ��ר��

Driving Growth and Philanthropy: Meet ��ר��’s New Vice President for Institutional Advancement Denise Thomas

How did you hear about the College? What got you in tune with ��ר�� to want to apply there?

Switching gears a little bit, how do you feel ��ר�� prepared you for the jobs that you’re doing today or for your career in general?

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

��ר�� Announces Esteemed Group of Honorary Degree Recipients

��ר�� Presented The Show 2026 at Somerset Collection

��ר�� Game Design Program ranked as One of Top Game Design Bachelor’s of Fine Arts Degree Programs in the U.S. by Animation Career Review

��ר�� Appoints Allison J. Puff as Next Provost

Fall 2025 Sponsored Projects at the ��ר��