Commencement for Largest Graduating Class Set for June 2-3
Atlanta and Savannah, GA – The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is thrilled to announce programming for SCAD 2023 commencement, June 2-3 in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia. SCAD is proud to celebrate the achievements of the 2023 graduating class, the largest ever in university history, nearly 4,000 total graduates.
This year, outstanding graduates will represent more than 40 top-ranked programs including interactive design and game development, interior design, film and television, advertising, graphic design, and design management. Talented students from an array of programs will deliver inspiring speeches and be celebrated by fellow students, family, faculty, staff, and acclaimed industry leaders.
SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace will confer degrees in-person, or virtually, at all scheduled ceremonies in Atlanta on Friday, June 2, and Savannah, Friday June 2 and Saturday, June 3.
"The SCAD Class of 2023 takes flight, destined for careers around the globe, where they’ve been hired by an elite cadre of brands to work their creative, entrepreneurial magic," said President and Founder Paula Wallace. "This year, we celebrate the largest hive in SCAD history, ready to build a better world with beneficent hands, brilliant minds, and beautiful hearts. Our Bees can do it all!"
Honorary degrees will be presented to industry and community leaders including record breaking Emmy nominated producer Will Packer, actress and social media personality Tabitha Brown, award-winning costume designer Janie Bryant, and renowned international artist Liliana Porter. Also receiving honorary degrees are Atlanta philanthropist and entrepreneur Stacey Leebern, Hyundai Hope on Wheels executive director John Guastaferro, BAFTA- and Academy Award-nominated director and story artist Joel Crawford, and former Disney Imagineering president Robert Weis. The Bee Sharps, SCAD’s elite performance ensemble, will also be featured.
The event will be live-streamed via YouTube with a link to the live broadcast at scad.edu/commencement, giving at-home viewers a front-row seat. The success rate for the university is unmatched; 99% of SCAD Spring 2022 graduates reported being employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation. SCAD alumni have found fulfilling careers at Adobe, Deloitte, Delta Air Lines, Microsoft, Spotify, and more.
Outstanding students
Atlanta
Valedictorian
Regina Vera Castellanos
Animation | School of Animation and Motion
Salutatorian
Anna Andreyenka
Advertising | School of Business Innovation
Excelsus Laureate
Nitya Bellani
Graphic Design | School of Design
Presidential Medalist
Ja’Baris Bakerville
Fashion | School of Fashion
Savannah
Valedictorian
Khushi Bhatt
Immersive Reality | School of Creative Technology
Salutatorian
Lara Federspiel
User Experience (UX) Design | School of Design
Excelsus Laureate
Desmond Du
Motion Media Design | School of Animation and Motion
Presidential Medalist
Bhavna Bhavanishankar
Design Management | School of Business Innovation
Presentation of Degrees ceremonies will take place at the Savannah Convention Center and the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Savannah graduates will participate in the ceremony designated for their school on either Friday, June 2, or Saturday, June 3. For loved ones who cannot attend in person, all ceremonies will stream live online on YouTube.
Honorary degree recipients
Tabitha Brown
SCAD Atlanta Commencement
Friday, June 2, 2023 | 10 a.m.
Tabitha Brown satisfies the hunger of millions with her unique approach to veganism and her wholesome, comedic personality daily. As a home base for acquiring imparted wisdom, learning new recipes, or enjoying a good laugh, she has coined the title of "America’s mom" with her 12-million-plus followers.
A two-time New York Times Bestselling Author of her debut book "Feeding the Soul (Because It’s My Business!)" and vegan cookbook, "Cooking from the Spirit" published by HarperCollins. The North Carolina-born actress, vegan lifestyle personality, mother, and wife has taken various business ventures by storm. She owns and operates her healthy haircare line Donna’s Recipe, continues to launch multi-category product lines as a partner with the major retailer Target, and never fails to light up kitchens with her signature McCormick spice Sunshine Seasoning, available in retailers nationwide and direct to consumer. She has landed notable theatrical features on major network shows in addition to co-creating and starring in her own children’s show with YouTube Originals, Tab Time, now a two-time Emmy nominated series and her vegan cooking competition show on Food Network, CompliPlated, the first of its kind.
Above all, Brown teaches us about having faith, perseverance, paving our own unique path to achieving dreams, and being our authentic selves.
Stacey Leebern
SCAD Atlanta Commencement
Friday, June 2, 2023 | 10 a.m.
Stacey Leebern is a beloved mother, wife, philanthropist, and professional-endeavors health and fitness educator. Over the years, Leebern has succeeded in multiple areas including interior design, beverage sales and management, journalism, and yoga.
As a patron of the arts and advancing education, Leebern has served on the board of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, SCAD’s Atlanta advisory council, and is a member of SCAD’s Ruskin Society. Leebern has also served on the boards of Our House children’s home and the Alzheimer’s Association regional board.
Over the years, Leebern has chaired and hosted fundraisers for a multitude of philanthropies including Racing for the Arts, GCAPP, Atlanta Ballet luncheon, and Camp Southern Ground.
In her free time, Leebern enjoys seeing the world, furthering her education, educating individuals on how to optimize their overall health and fitness, and spending time with her daughters. Leebern currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband Don.
Will Packer
SCAD Atlanta Commencement
Friday, June 2, 2023 | 2 p.m.
Will Packer, one of Hollywood’s most influential record-breaking filmmakers, has produced/executive produced a wide range of movies grossing more than $1 billion worldwide at the box office. Ten of his films have opened at number one.
Packer’s latest film, Praise This, premiered on Peacock in April 2023. It starred Chloe Bailey, Druski, and Quavo among others, and marked Packer’s first streaming platform feature film. In 2022, he produced Beast starring frequent collaborator Idris Elba. Packer’s films Girls Trip and Night School were the highest grossing comedies at the box office for 2017 and 2018. Packer’s other productions include The Photograph, Little, What Men Want, the Ride Along series, the Think Like a Man series, No Good Deed, Takers, Obsessed, Breaking In, and Stomp the Yard. Packer also served as an executive producer on the megahit Straight Outta Compton. Packer has an overall movie development deal with Universal Pictures.
Packer’s television, digital, and branded content company, Will Packer Media, produces episodic scripted and unscripted series across television and digital platforms, as well as compelling content for brand clients and shortform digital content for millennial audiences. Queens Court, a reality dating series starring Tamar Braxton, Evelyn Lozada, and Nivea debuted on Peacock in March 2023. Will Packer Media recently celebrated 100 episodes of the acclaimed dating show Ready to Love, found on the OWN network, where along with the hit social experiment show, Put a Ring On It, Packer has owned network Friday nights. Packer’s popular kids’ sitcom, That Girl Lay Lay, currently airs on Nickelodeon and Netflix. Will Packer Media produces scripted and unscripted podcasts with iHeart Media such as Fight Night, The Lower Bottoms, and IDEA GENERATION’s All Angles.
Other Will Packer Media titles include, Bigger (BET+), the docuseries Blackballed (Quibi), The Atlanta Child Murders (ID), and The Disappearance of the Millbrook Twins (Oxygen). He has worked on various celebrity driven specials with Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Hart, and Tiffany Haddish as a part of Discovery’s annual Shark Week programming.
Packer also served as the executive producer on the remake of Roots, for which he received an Emmy Award nomination. He has executive produced primetime programming including Ambitions (OWN), Truth be Told (NBC), Uncle Buck (ABC), and Being Mary Jane (BET).
Packer is a member of the esteemed Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and was selected as producer for the 2022 Academy Awards 94th Oscars Ceremony. Packer received a 2022 Emmy Award nomination for Producer, Outstanding Variety Special Live for the 2022 Oscars.
He also served as Jury President for the 2021 American Black Film Festival (ABFF). Packer has appeared on the covers of multiple magazines and has been featured in several high-profile lists including Variety’s "Billion Dollar Producers" and "10 Producers to Watch," and Ebony’s prestigious "Power 100 List." In 2018, he won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture for Girls Trip; Packer also received a 2013 BET Award in Best Movie for Think Like a Man.
An Atlanta resident, Packer serves on the board of the Atlanta Hawks Foundation and is a longtime supporter of HBCU initiatives. He is a magna cum laude graduate of Florida A&M University (FAMU) with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering. Packer received the Meritorious Achievement Award from Florida A&M, the highest honor the university bestows. In a 2021 ceremony, FAMU dedicated and officially opened the Will Packer Student Performing Arts Amphitheater.
John Guastaferro
SCAD Savannah Commencement
Friday, June 2, 2023 | 9 a.m.
As a philanthropist, humanitarian, artist, and entertainer, John Guastaferro has a fierce passion for helping others and bringing more wonder to the world. During his more than two-decade career in philanthropy, Guastaferro has led initiatives to improve community health, strengthen youth development, and help marginalized residents during the pandemic. As a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), Guastaferro has stewarded over $30 million to uplift people and communities. He currently serves as executive director of Hyundai Hope On Wheels and Genesis Inspiration Foundation, two nonprofit foundations dedicated to impacting children nationwide.
Beyond the business world, Guastaferro has several avocations rooted in the arts. He has performed magic in 12 countries and authored numerous books on the art of magic. He is also a gifted artist, Spanish guitarist, and published composer. In October 2022, Guastaferro took to the TEDx stage to deliver his talk, "Wonder is One Degree Away," inspiring us all to discover and share our own inner magic.
Through it all, Guastaferro is driven by one unifying life mission: to connect people to the extraordinary.
Bob Weis
SCAD Savannah Commencement
Friday, June 2, 2023 | 3:30 p.m.
Bob Weis is Gensler Practice Leader for Entertainment and Immersive Experiences. He leads a multi-disciplinary team tasked with exploring, developing, and bringing to market ground-breaking ideas that enhance urban life, sustainability, and vibrancy.
Weis has decades of experience leading projects around the world. Prior to joining Gensler, Weis was President of Walt Disney Imagineering and was the company’s Global Ambassador. Before becoming president of Imagineering, Weis was the overall creative executive for Shanghai Disney Resort, a seven square kilometer park and resort development.
Prior to that, Weis completed a five-year transformation and expansion of Disney California Adventure Park. His previous projects include creative leadership over the original concept for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction, conceptual design for Tokyo DisneySea, and work on the first international Disney theme park, Tokyo Disneyland.
He has worked across a wide slate of the entertainment business, creating attractions, developing museums, cruise ships, and resort hotels. He has also delivered award-winning projects for NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and the United States Navy.
Weis has been honored with multiple awards from the Themed Entertainment Association, along with awards for the development of Shanghai Disney Resort, The American Institute of Architects Technology in Architectural Practice Award, and the Buzz Price Lifetime Achievement Award.
Weis serves on the Walt Disney Family Museum’s Advisory Committee, and the Board of Trustees for the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), a diverse and multifaceted cultural and educational component of the Smithsonian Institution. He also supports the Herb Ryman Foundation, providing free art classes in drawing and painting with master teachers to Los Angeles area high school students.
Weis is currently writing a screenplay for Disney+ and two books for Disney Publishing. His feature film and documentary projects have been shown on Lifetime and American public television.
He holds a degree in architecture, and an honorary Ph.D. from Cal Poly Pomona.
Liliana Porter
SCAD Savannah Commencement
Friday, June 2, 2023 | 3:30 p.m.
Born in Argentina in 1941, Liliana Porter has exhibited work in more than 35 countries in over 450 group shows. Exhibition spaces include, the Museum of Modern Art (New York), Whitney Museum of American Art (New York), New Museum (New York); Blanton Museum of Art (Austin, Texas), Museo Tamayo (Mexico City, Mexico), and many others.
Her works are in public and private collections at the El Museo del Barrio, Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City; the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.; Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University (Massachusetts); Philadelphia Museum of Art (Pennsylvania); Tate Modern (London); Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Buenos Aires); Museo de Bellas Artes in Santiago, Chile; Museo de Arte Moderno in Bogotá, Colombia; Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid; and the Daros Latinamerica Collection, Zürich.
Porter’s work has been reviewed in Artforum, Art in America, and Sculpture Magazine, among others. Her book, "Liliana Porter in Conversation with Inés Katzenstein", was published in 2013 by the Fundación Patricia Phelps de Cisneros.
Joel Crawford
SCAD Savannah Commencement
Saturday, June 3, 2023 | 3:30 p.m.
At the age of five, after being given a stack of computer paper by his grandmother to pass the time "doodling" while recovering in the hospital from a fall (resulting in the amputation of two toes!), Joel Crawford started to sketch,…and he hasn’t stopped since!
Influenced as a young kid by the 1988 animated cyberpunk action film Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo, Crawford knew at an early age that he loved animation. Citing the works of Sergio Leone’s groundbreaking film Dollars Trilogy along with the films of Akira Kurosawa, Crawford began to develop his own style of visual storytelling.
He was able to marry his passion for the spaghetti western with his love of absurdist comedy as the director of the DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures project, 2023 Academy Award® and BAFTA nominated, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish; the film starred starring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek. A hit with both critics and audiences, the film has amassed nearly half-a-billion dollars at the global box office.
He made his feature film directorial debut on the DreamWorks Animation feature film The Croods: A New Age. After serving as head of story for the smash musical adventure Trolls in 2016, Crawford directed its holiday special for NBC.
Crawford joined DreamWorks Animation in 2006, quickly becoming an integral part of the creative process, working as a story artist on Trolls, Shrek Forever After, Rise of the Guardians, Bee Movie and the Kung Fu Panda series. Prior to joining DreamWorks, his story artist credits include, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water and Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.
A native of Southern California (via Hawaii), Crawford attended The California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). To make ends meet while in school, he worked as a caricature artist at Six Flags.
Janie Bryant
SCAD Savannah Commencement
Saturday, June 3, 2023 | 9 a.m.
Janie Bryant is an Emmy® Award winning costume designer well known for her designs on AMC TV’s Mad Men and HBO’s Deadwood, for which she earned the prestigious award. Bryant most recently completed the costume design on two Paramount+ original series, 1923 and 1883, the prequels to the hit show Yellowstone. Both series have become fan favorites for their breathtaking scenery and gritty, authentic, costume design telling the early story of the Dutton family. Bryant recently completed designing for Ann Rice’s: Mayfair Witches, an AMC series, based on Rice’s trilogy of books starring Harry Hamlin, Jack Huston, and Alexandra Daddario. Bryant is currently in production for Bad Boys 4: Ride or Die starring Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, and Vanessa Hudgens.
Bryant was the costume designer for seasons one and two of the Marc Cherry production Why Women Kill on Paramount+. The first season of this comedic drama is set in three different decades and stars Lucy Liu, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Alexandra Daddario; the second season starring Lana Parrilla and Allison Tolman, is set in 1949. Previously, Bryant costume designed The Romanoffs on HBO, The Last Tycoon on Amazon Prime, and the remake of Stephen King’s iconic movie, IT.
Bryant’s costume design has been cited as influential by designers like Michael Kors, Vera Wang, Prada, Marc Jacobs, and more. After studying fashion design, she moved to Paris and then New York, where she got involved in the TV and film industry. Bryant then moved to Los Angeles to follow her passion to continue her career as a Hollywood costume designer.
Along with her prestigiously awarded costumes and her own ready-to-wear line for extended sizes (JXB), Bryant had also designed the successful Mad Men collections in collaboration with AMC TV and Banana Republic. She has worked with many brands including Hamilton Watches, Inherent Clothier, Brooks Brothers, Shoes of Prey, Hearts on Fire Diamonds, Downy, SONY, NIKE, Maidenform Intimate Apparel, and more. Bryant designed the uniforms for the relaunch of the Watergate hotel in Washington D.C. In 2011, Bryant released her first book called "The Fashion File" with style tips and inspiration to help every woman become her own "leading lady." Bryant recently launched a collaboration of western inspired looks with classic outerwear brand Tom Beckbe.
Bryant can be found on Instagram @Costumedesignerjaniebryant and @JanieBryant.
Media Contacts
Atlanta
Wendy Gardner
SCAD Senior Director of Public Relations
[email protected]
Savannah
Michelle Gavin
SCAD Executive Director of Communications
[email protected]
About SCAD: The University for Creative Careers
The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited university offering more than 100 academic degree programs in more than 40 majors across its locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Berlin, Germany, Lacoste, France; and online via SCAD eLearning. SCAD enrolls more than 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 115 countries. The innovative SCAD curriculum is enhanced by advanced, professional-level technology, equipment, and learning resources, as well as opportunities for internships, professional certifications and collaborative projects with corporate partners.
In 2019, the prestigious Red Dot Design Rankings placed SCAD as the No. 1 university in the U.S. and in the top two universities in the Americas and Europe for the third consecutive year. In 2019, The Rookies ranked SCAD as the Best 3D Motion Graphics school for the fourth consecutive year. Career preparation is wove into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni employment rate. According to recent studies, 99 percent of 2017 and 2018 SCAD graduates were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation. In 2022 Red Dot Design Ranked SCAD as the number one design university for the sixth year in a row.