Message from ArtCenter

On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the faculty and staff of ArtCenter College of Design, I congratulate you, the graduating class of Summer 2020, on the milestone you have reached.

The world looks very different than it did just a few short months ago. Today we’re facing monumental challenges: a devastating pandemic and a reckoning—long overdue—on deep and painful issues of racial injustice.

The hopeful news? Creativity, empathy, curiosity, critical thinking, honesty and resiliency—qualities the world desperately needs to get us through this difficult time in human history—are the very attributes we teach at ArtCenter.

You have all rallied in the face of adversity. Over the past few months, you collaborated with your classmates remotely, presented your critiques via Zoom, and met with potential employers through a virtual networking event. And when protests against systemic racism erupted around the world, many of you were unafraid to let institutions across the board—including the College itself—know that now is the time for real and substantial change. We couldn’t agree more.

The last few months have proven that you’re capable of tackling any obstacle that comes your way. And, fortunately for all of us, your creativity will stretch well beyond ArtCenter. People and institutions across the globe will be looking for your leadership to frame penetrating questions about how we live, help create new jobs, craft new methods of communication, and tell new stories for a new era.

There’s a lot of hard work that lies ahead. But for today—and even it’s only just for today—revel in this moment. Celebrate your achievement. Take a long, much-deserved breath.

And then roll up your sleeves. The world has never needed you more.

Lorne M. Buchman, PhD
President