Join us Friday, Sept. 23, at 10 a.m. for a commemorative ceremony at Trustees Theater, honoring the dauntless endeavors of Savannah students during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement.

The ceremony will feature remarks by SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace, former Savannah mayor Edna Jackson, and NAACP Secretary Carolyn Quilloin Coleman, as well as performances by alumni Masud Olufani and Savannah-born singer Brittany Bosco.

Following the ceremony, please join us for the dedication of a historical marker in conjunction with the Georgia Historical Society, The Georgia Department of Economic Development and The Hodge Foundation. 

The marker will be placed at the entrance of SCAD’s Jen Library, the former site of Levy’s Department Store. On March 16, 1960, three African-American students — Carolyn Quilloin Coleman, Joan Tyson Hall and Ernest Robinson — were arrested for siting in the store’s whites-only restaurant. The Savannah Protest Movement historical marker elevates the intrepid efforts of African American students and community leaders to end segregation in Savannah.

Visionary Voices is the third SCAD program in a series of community events that illuminate local trailblazers and their legacies. In February 2016, SCAD honored 10 female pioneers during President Wallace’s “Savannah Women of Vision” tribute. The university also celebrated the arduous journey of William and Ellen Craft with a bronze emblem installed at SCAD Museum of Art in honor of the Crafts’ daring escape from slavery.

Seating inside the Trustees Theater is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. This event is free and open to the public.

On Tuesday, August 2, President Paula Wallace and members of the SCAD community presented new uniforms and books to the Coastal Georgia Comprehensive Academy (CGCA) in support of Savannah’s Adopt-A-School initiative. CGCA Principal Steve Derr, as well as several of the school’s devoted teachers, social workers and paraprofessional staff, accepted the donations on behalf of their diligent scholars.

Adopt-A-School is a national initiative with local impact. In Chatham County, Rev. G. Lind Taylor of the First Congressional Church saw a need for school uniforms that, while often required for the county’s students, are not always affordable. Rev. Taylor recruited SCAD and other local schools to step in to help.  

In addition to uniforms, SCAD donated more than two hundred children’s books for teachers to use in the classroom. President Wallace also brought in a batch of scrumptious Bee-shaped cookies, courtesy of Savannah’s Two Smart Cookies, for all to enjoy.

Founded in 1971, CGCA specializes in providing a nurturing K-12 educational environment to help students with emotional and behavioral disorders, as well as moderate-to-severe autism, reach their full potential. Their vision — to ensure all of Chatham County’s students are “prepared for productive futures” — is a goal SCAD wholeheartedly supports.

Launching the SCAD back-to-school donations, on Monday, the university contributed 150 backpacks brimming with school supplies to the Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police Department as part of the “Stuff the Container” program.

These donations represent just one part of the global SCAD effort to support the needs of students. SCAD’s educational outreach includes more than two decades of support for the Union Mission Holiday Toy Drive, the distribution of art supplies to young students by the SCAD Buzz Bus, and student involvement with the WeCan Project in Hong Kong, through which SCAD Hong Kong students mentor local elementary school students in art, language, and the collegiate experience.

The new school year is about to begin, and SCAD is helping young students prepare!

Through the annual “Stuff the Container” school supply drive, SCAD is donating 150 backpacks and school supplies to the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department. SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace will present the supplies to Police Chief Joseph Lumpkin this afternoon. The donated supplies will be given to families in need across greater Chatham County.

“It is a privilege to give to our community’s most precious resource — our children,” said President Wallace. “Children are natural inventors, artists and explorers. All they need are a few tools! SCAD is honored to help our young students reach the height of their potential.”

“Stuff the Container” is part of the Savannah Impact Program’s National Night Out event. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that enhances law-enforcement partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, better places.

SCAD invites the public to join students and university mascot Art the Bee in celebration at 1 p.m. today at the SIP office, located at 1700 Drayton St.

On a sunny, summery Saturday in Lacoste, France, SCAD celebrated the arrival of its new alumni atelier residents with a puppet processional through the vibrant, medieval village. Regional officials, concierges, residents, and SCAD faculty and students, many of them in costume, waved colorful ribbon wands while enjoying a second-line jazz band and freshly spun cotton candy.

Inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sam Lasseter (B.F.A. sculpture), created large‑scale, papier-mâché puppets for the parade with the assistance of Mitchell Biggio (B.F.A. sculpture). Puppet characters included cicadas, rabbits, a boar, a mare and the SCAD Bee. Martha Enzmann (M.F.A. painting) and Karen Butch (M.F.A. painting) also designed costumes, props and puppets for the processional.

SCAD Lacoste is one of the university’s four global locations. This summer, alumni atelier residents Joseph Gamble (M.F.A. photography), Melissa Hagerty (B.F.A. illustration) and Lily Kuonen (M.F.A. painting) will live in the storybook village, revitalized by SCAD’s restoration of buildings dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. The alumni will host workshops and work in the SCAD Olivier Caves, the studios along the Rue Saint-Trophime that offer a living lesson in the creation of art for students, tourists and villagers.

“This celebration stands not just to welcome our new alumni residents for the summer,” proclaimed SCAD president and founder Paula Wallace, “but to showcase our deep-rooted love for Lacoste’s history and significance to the global art community.”

On Saturday, June 11, SCAD celebrated 81 graduating students in the Class of 2016 in Hong Kong. Almost 400 friends, family and industry leaders cheered on the graduates who will join a global network of 35,000 SCAD alumni. Here are a few of the most memorable thoughts, as expressed by the Hong Kong commencement speakers:

SCAD alumna Katrina Teh (B.F.A. illustration):

“All the late nights hustling on design software, learning from professors how to draw better, and developing my aesthetic as an artist…these are things that are refined through time, through the tutelage of great mentors, hard work, and risk-taking.”

Honorary degree recipient Douglas Woo, chairman and managing director, Wheelock and Company Limited:

“You are tough, trained, and talented. Choosing a creative path in Hong Kong takes a lot of courage. It’s not a well-beaten path, and you should all be very proud. Creativity is one of the most critical skills for the future: it can’t be automated and, above all, it maximizes human potential.”

Honorary degree recipient Mimi Tang, founder and board member, The Kering Foundation:

“Being a part of the luxury fashion industry for many years, I recognize that essential elements for a brand or company’s success include its innovative design and commercial opportunities. It is up to the young talents that have graduated today to use what they have learnt at SCAD to strengthen their potential and commitment in facing the challenging, outside world.”

Valedictorian Dawn Bey (B.F.A. fashion):

“Achieving your dream will be difficult. Take one step at a time and work hard every day for what you want. As Picasso said, ‘When inspiration comes, it better find you working.’ In your creative journey, you may be told to bend to someone else’s vision. But success comes when you stand strong as the person you want to be. You are unique, and you can and will prosper as the original, authentic you.”

Excelsus Laureate Kimberly Nelson (M.A. luxury and fashion management):

“To work full time and be a full-time student requires energy and enthusiasm. It requires pulling yourself in eight different ways, and the ability to magically stop time, though I haven’t quite mastered this one yet. But the sleepless nights and hard work pushed me to my limit and that led me to grow into who I am now — someone my 16-year old self never imagined I would become. I am now — hopefully! — a confident, savvy city-girl in every way. And thanks to my SCAD education, I can express my passions through my career.”

Last Thursday, art teachers carrying plastic hampers, wicker baskets, duffle bags, shoulder bags, lidded bins and shopping carts lined up in the rope-draped lobby of Savannah Film Studios as the clock struck 10 a.m. Their containers were empty, but the mood brimmed with anticipation.

“We’re so happy to have you here!” announced SCAD Director of External Relations Erina Tandy. “We’re glad to be able to share with you the overflowing fruit that we have here at SCAD. I’m sure it will find a great home in your classroom. C’mon in, you guys…”

Soon, close to 40 educators and administrators from the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools and local non-profits were picking from tables laden with more art supplies than Picasso could shake a brush at. Donated by SCAD students, faculty and staff, the new and gently used art supplies will supplement area classrooms in the coming school year.

“I’ve got to decide if I’m going to keep these supplies at my house all summer, or swing by school and store them there,” remarked Kinte Taylor-Steverson (B.F.A. computer art; M.F.A. computer art), a SCAD alumnus who currently teaches at Savannah Arts Academy, as he perused piles of poster board. Vanessa Rivera, an art teacher at Windsor Forest High School, stacked coils of contour mesh in a cardboard box and said: “I’ll definitely find a use in my classroom for this!”

The annual SCAD Buzz Bus Art Supply Giveaway is but one facet of the Buzz Bus program, established by SCAD president and founder Paula Wallace in 2010. For this event alone, the teachers picking up supplies represent more than 8,000 students at their respective schools who will benefit. The SCAD Buzz Bus makes frequent visits to local elementary and middle schools and other youth-centered organizations to promote art education through workshops, book readings, musical performances and art-supply donations.

“It’s great to know these supplies will find a happy home,” beamed Tandy as teachers ambled out, their containers fully stocked. And the wheel of artistic creation goes round.

“We want to be part of your lives at every stage of your personal and professional success,” beamed SCAD President Paula Wallace at the bountiful, berobed students. The stage at the Savannah Civic Center was set – with a Lucite podium, and distinguished faculty and guests – for a classic commencement. SCAD families from as far away as Panama City, Hong Kong, and Granville, Ohio were there to celebrate their Bees buzzing forth into the world.

 

She's a new grad @lindsayjmeece #scadatlanta #scadgrad #grad #scadgrad2016

A photo posted by Pam Meece (@pmeece) on

Jun 4, 2016 at 8:58pm PDT

Customized mortarboards exemplified the artistic wills of individual graduates, sometimes with collective messages: “Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire,” proclaimed one. As the ceremony advanced through a scintillating sequence of speakers, notes of inspiration and contemplation gave way to a wow moment featuring copious glowsticks, aerial acrobatics and SCAD’s dynamite drumline. In celebration of the great day, here are five memorable remarks from the Savannah edition of SCAD commencement 2016:

1. SCAD alumna Michelle Poler (B.F.A. advertising), creator “100 Days Without Fear”:

“I’m here today to encourage you to say ‘yes’ more often, to visualize goals, and to be willing to get uncomfortable to make them happen. Because YOLO, seriously, you only live once. So go out into the world, never settle, find your own happiness, and paint a canvas that – whenever you envision it – always makes you smile.”

2. Valedictorian Jill DeBiase (B.F.A. advertising):

“I came to SCAD for advertising and discovered it was so much more than I had imagined. Advertising ‘copywriters’ were not, in fact, the guys running around putting little copyright c’s next to brand names. We are the writers. We are the people who come up with the big ideas and craft them with care and a love for language.”

3. Excelsus Laureate Mazyar Sharifian (M.A. visual effects):

“By the time I finished high school, I faced a great dilemma: at university, I would have to choose between art and science. At that time in Iran, living as an artist was really tough, so I decided to study engineering instead. But I began to think…was there a place that could prepare me for both of these roles? I was told there is such a place, and that place is called SCAD.”

4. Jeanne and Tom Townsend, parents of former SCAD Student Alexander Townsend, founders of Alex Townsend Memorial Foundation:

“We embraced Savannah and SCAD with our whole hearts, just as Alex had. I am so thankful that is the path we chose. In the last six years, Savannah has become a second home to us. The people of Savannah and SCAD have welcomed us with open arms. We are forever grateful to Alex for giving us the gift of this special place that has so profoundly changed and enriched our lives.”

5. Art Gensler, founder of Gensler, the world’s leading collaborative design firm, recipient SCAD Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters:

“Graduates – this is an exciting time to earn an art and design degree. The world, and especially the industry, recognizes the importance of art and design in today’s markets. You bring many skills and values they find attractive and necessary. You are graduating from the most comprehensive design school in the world. Gensler is proud to have over sixty graduates from SCAD as members of our team. But we need more, so come on down!”

Arthur Gensler, renowned architect and founder of Gensler, the world’s leading collaborative design firm, will address the SCAD graduating class of 2016 this Saturday, June 4. Gensler will address graduates at both SCAD Savannah and SCAD Atlanta.

SCAD’s recognition of Gensler as the 36^th spring commencement speaker epitomizes a shared belief in the ability of design to transform the world. Gensler’s presence speaks directly to the vitality of SCAD degree programs in architecture, interior design, architectural history, design for sustainability, design management, urban design and related disciplines. His design firm, employing more than 5,000 professionals across 46 international locations, embodies the philosophy of global practice that SCAD instills in its students. A total of 66 SCAD alumni currently work for Gensler.

“It is the highest privilege to send off our graduates in the company of a design hero,” said SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace.

Gensler will receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters and address graduates at 9 a.m. in Savannah at the Savannah Civic Center, 301 W. Oglethorpe Ave. He will speak to graduates in Atlanta at 6 p.m. at the Georgia World Congress Center, 285 Andrew Young International Blvd. N.W.

Amongst scores of standout projects across the globe, Gensler produced the first 100 Apple stores. These key locations, produced in direct collaboration with Steve Jobs, crucially advanced the Apple narrative, and became the highest grossing per-square-foot retail locations in the world. Other notable Gensler projects include San Francisco International Airport, Facebook’s London headquarters, Shanghai Tower, Houston Ballet Center for Dance, and the London Underline concept. All Gensler building and interior projects utilize sustainable design as a guiding principle.

In addition to the worldwide work of his firm, Arthur Gensler is involved in a wide range of philanthropic activities that guide the future of design. In 2015, he published Art’s Principles: 50 years of hard-learned lessons in building a world-class professional services firm (Wilson Lafferty), a compilation of leadership lessons and professional insights gained from his illustrious business career.

Gensler joins a legacy of distinguished SCAD commencement speakers, including actor Whoopi Goldberg, Architectural Digest Editor-in-Chief Margaret Russell, Metropolitan Museum of Art director Philippe de Montebello, playwright Edward Albee, interior designer Vern Yip, poet Maya Angelou and Disney•Pixar chief creative officer John Lasseter.

Fashion Show weekend is here! Come see Carolina Herrera receive the SCAD Étoile in recognition of her outstanding contributions to fashion, culture and design, Friday at 2 p.m. in the theater of Arnold Hall, 1810 Bull Street. Stick around afterward to hear the legendary designer share insights into her career.

And don’t forget to visit “Refined Irreverence,” a dual exhibition of Herrera’s work opening this Friday at SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film and the SCAD Museum of Art. This selection of Herrera’s runway, bridal and red-carpet gowns curated by Rafael Gomes, SCAD director of fashion exhibitions, celebrates the 35th anniversary of the House of Herrera and is the first museum showing of Herrera’s designs. The exhibition also celebrates SCAD’s first concurrent show at both SCAD FASH and SCAD Museum of Art since 2011.

This retrospective of more than 75 garments will feature new and vintage Herrera designs, from her 1981 inaugural collection to the present. The sweeping presentation will include gowns worn by Michelle Obama, Taylor Swift, Tina Fey, Renée Zellweger and Lucy Liu, as well as works from Herrera’s personal collection.

You won’t want to miss the chance to see these timeless classics in person!

Whether you are front row at the runway or halfway around the world, you can take part in the 2016 SCAD Fashion Show. This weekend’s festivities kick off in high style on Friday at 2 p.m. as fashion designer Carolina Herrera receives the 2016 SCAD Étoile in the theater of Arnold Hall, and culminates on Saturday, May 21, with 4 p.m. and 8 p.m runway shows of student designs at Trustees Theater. The 2016 SCAD Fashion Show is incorporating the digital realm as never before, affording opportunities for global audience participation. Here are five tips for getting involved:

1. Download the SCAD app: The SCAD app is the official home of the 2016 Fashion Show. The SCAD app’s redesign launched last week, servicing both external audiences and student needs. The app is now available in the iTunes Store and Google Play, so whatever device you’re using, it’s happening.
2. Share The Show: SCAD’s Jen Library will display Saturday’s runway show on its outdoor wall after the 8 p.m. show. It will also function as a real-time social wall so that you can comment on the events as they happen. Whether you’re inside, outside, watching at home or on your mobile device, Tweet and Instagram your thoughts @scaddotedu using the hashtag #SCADFASHION to ensure moderators escort your Tweet to its seat. Enjoy more than your share! 
3. Shop the Runway: Wish you could wear your favorite accessories spotted on a Fashion Show model? Now you can! This year, four SCAD alumni jewelry collections will be available for purchase at the shopSCAD pop-up boutique in the Trustees Theater lobby, and via the SCAD app.
4. Catch Some Static: The event with the greatest opportunity for in-person attendance is the 2016 Fashion and Accessory Design Static Show, on view Friday, May 20, through Sunday, May 22, 2016. The exhibition, held at Gutstein Gallery, features exceptional garments and accessories from the latest collections by SCAD School of Fashion students.
5. Know Who’s Next: Learn the names of the senior SCAD students showing their work in Fashion Show. These are the stars to watch, not only for Fashion Show weekend, but for years to come. When these SCAD designers become household names, you can say you knew them when!