The post President’s Update: Spring 2026 appeared first on RMCAD.

The post President’s Update: Fall 2025 appeared first on RMCAD.

Welcome to the Summer term at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design. Summer is a time of reflection for our college. As you enjoy the warm weather and longer days, I invite you all to look back with me as we celebrate our recent successes, our student body, and our thriving community.

First and foremost, I want to congratulate and bid farewell to the class of 2025. On Sunday, May 4, our college hosted two graduation ceremonies, honoring nearly 400 graduates from 39 states. Both ceremonies recognized the passionate work of our 2025 graduates, who represented both online and campus modalities. I would like to extend a special thank you to both of this year’s valedictorians, Cherjay Yang and Allison Hawes. Their hard work and dedication to their craft made them the perfect representatives of our student body. Thank you both for the wise words you shared with your fellow graduates. For those of you who were not able to attend the ceremony in person, I want to thank you for joining us via our commencement livestream and continuing the celebration at home.

To all of our current students, remember you are the graduates of tomorrow, so keep pushing forward; the finish line is in sight. Regardless of where you are in your current program (first year or third year), it will one day be your name called at commencement. If you have questions about your path to graduation or want to change from a part-time to full-time status to graduate sooner, please contact your academic advisor. Whether you are enrolled in summer coursework or taking a well-deserved break, I want to congratulate you on a phenomenal job this academic year. It has been a year full of impactful projects, exhibitions, and collaborations, which continue to make our community proud. Check out RMCAD’s blog and social media channels to get a glimpse of the incredible stories from this past year; and cheer on your fellow classmates, professors, and peers! 

Finally, I would like to thank our broader community for your incredible support. RMCAD would not be the same without your participation and collaboration. We have already welcomed nearly 800 members to our new app, RMCAD Connect, well on our way to welcoming 1,500 users by the end of the year. This summer, we were honored to participate in the Colfax Marathon, Denver’s Pride Parade, and Denver Fan Expo. In addition, on Sunday, June 8, twenty fashion design students brought 70 original designs to the runway at this year’s Identity Fashion Showcase. If you were not able to be in attendance at the sold-out show, watch a recap of the remarkable looks here. As we look ahead to the 2025-2026 academic year, I invite all of you to join us for the “Recontextualize Series”, which aims to bring further context to our VASD program, exhibitions, and student symposium.

I would like to close by extending my gratitude to all who read this message. Whether you are located in Colorado or joining us from across the globe, I am so grateful for the impact you make every single day. For anyone interested in learning more about our beautiful campus, I encourage you to look no further than our recent campus tour video. Remember, summer is a time to get out of the house and do more. I’m excited to see your refreshed passion this fall, and I hope you continue to enjoy this beautiful time of year with many trips, creative projects, and memories. Have an incredible rest of your summer!

Stay creative,

Brent Fitch

President, Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design

The post President’s Update: Summer B 2025 appeared first on RMCAD.

The post President’s Update: Spring A 2025 appeared first on RMCAD.

The post President’s Update: Fall A 2024 appeared first on RMCAD.

Welcome to the Summer term at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design. I hope you are enjoying a vibrant and relaxing summer. As we conclude RMCAD’s 60th anniversary, I am filled with immense pride in our students as they continue to amaze us with their creativity and knowledge. To celebrate all of you, we have worked tirelessly to provide phenomenal programming all summer. The RMCAD legacy would not be able to grow without the contributions made by people like you!

We are only halfway through 2024, but our students have already made astounding strides in art and design. In March, our Liberal Arts department hosted the 4th Annual Student Research Symposium, where more than 75 attendees, on-campus and virtually, listened as students and alumni shared their research and artwork. Additionally, we have seen fantastic participation from our online students as they shared images on the RMCAD app during the Pet Photo Contest and the #Designwithpride giveaway. Two alumni, Daniel Logan (Illustration, 2022) and Beki Black-Gliko (Illustration, 2012), returned to RMCAD for a hybrid workshop series to teach current students about making a living as an artist. Joining them as alumni, we celebrated the graduation of 321 artists and designers this May at our 2024 Commencement Ceremony. Students from campus and online modalities attended, representing 11 academic programs and 44 states. We were thrilled to welcome 66 online graduates to the in-person ceremony. This year also marked the first-ever graduate from RMCAD’s newest online program, Music Production. Additionally, RMCAD celebrated the graduation of Paul Onorato, the grandson of founder Philip J. Steel. I invite you to relive the magic of the 2024 Graduation Ceremony on YouTube.

Throughout the summer, we have a myriad of exciting events and opportunities to engage in, including the RMCAD Carnival. Join us for food, games, and community at the gathering on Wednesday, July 3. As we continue celebrating the summer, we’re doing it the RMCAD way – with plenty of art! The Summer 2024 Graduation Exhibition will be displayed in the Philip J. Steele Gallery from Friday, August 9 to Friday, September 6, highlighting the phenomenal work of our summer graduates. Recently, our gallery team has done phenomenal work digitizing the Philip J. Steele gallery. All artwork in the Summer Grad show will also be visible around the globe, along with the Focal Point and Graphite virtual galleries. Additionally, we are thrilled to host the 2024 RMCAD Fashion Showcase, highlighting unique clothing designed by students in the Fashion Design program. This year’s theme “Ineffable” will hit the runway at the City Park Pavillion on Friday, August 16. Check our events calendar as the ticketing and live stream information will be posted soon!

As we reflect on our recent achievements, I am reminded of the important legacies we each leave. Recently, our campus welcomed a record-breaking number of athletes for the 2024 Colfax Marathon. According to 9 News Denver, 25,000 runners, joggers, and walkers participated in this year’s events. However, our legacy here at RMCAD is not only defined by breaking records but also by building memories. Recently, we commemorated the life and work of local artist and former RMCAD faculty member, Clark Richert by renaming RMCAD’s Fabrication Lab to the Clark Richert Memorial Z-Space. Richert, who passed away in 2021, was known for using cutting-edge technology in his artwork. As such, the Z-Space houses 3D printers, a vacuform, and other art and design technology. Finally, you may have noticed RMCAD’s newest gallery in the East Texas Lobby, named the Steele Family Legacy Hall. The Steele family recently received the 2024 Legacy Award, and this permanent exhibition commemorates the contributions of the multiple generations of Steele family members who have helped lay the foundation of RMCAD. Regarding legacies, we want to thank Dr. Colin Marlaire for his service over the last three years as Provost. He will be leaving to spend time with his extended family in California. Jessica Elliott, Dean of Academics, will be supporting RMCAD’s faculty and academic support operations until a new Provost is named. 

Looking ahead, I am particularly proud of our college’s upcoming initiatives to forge a legacy in the community. RMCAD will provide two week-long summer camps to children in our community in collaboration with the 40 West Arts District. We are honored to give back to our community’s youth through education in the arts. The program will run from Monday, July 15 to Friday, July 26.

Summer is a time to relax and reflect, so enjoy some time off. Get outdoors, make art, and be with the people you love. For those enrolled in summer courses online or on-campus, I admire your dedication to your craft, keep up the hard work. We are excited to see you all again in the fall and welcome the class of 2028. In the meantime, remember to make some summer memories.

Stay creative,

Brent Fitch

President, Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design

The post President’s Update: Summer B 2024 appeared first on RMCAD.

As we step into the midst of a vibrant Spring 2024 semester, I am filled with immense gratitude for the opportunity to support each one of you, our creative community. I hope your year is off to a great start and will be filled with boundless creativity, learning, and personal growth.

This year is particularly special as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design. Reaching this momentous milestone is only possible because of you and the amazing alumni who have paved the way before you. Since 1963, our mission and vision haven’t changed – inspiring passion for critical thinking and preparing learners to be forces of change in their industries, communities and the world.

As such, we have had the great pleasure of welcoming artists Alex Da Corte, Deanna Marsigliese and Catherine Haggarty for our Visiting Artist, Scholar & Designer Program. These talks provide real-world advice and experiences that are invaluable to your growth. Don’t miss the next artist talk by Esteban Cabeza De Baca on March 19, both in-person and online. I encourage you to also take advantage of the additional events surrounding his visit, including the Student-Led Q+A session and one-on-one discussion opportunities.

Looking back at 2023, there was a lot to celebrate, including the 141 campus and online students who had artwork displayed across all of our 2023 fall exhibitions and the reopening of Spivak Studios this past fall, which provides 24 students each semester with a personal space to create and flourish. It has been so inspiring seeing these vibrant spaces come to life due to your outstanding artwork and collaboration. In addition, we served 384 students through our Health and Wellness Center and introduced a new recurring Scheduling Fair event to help you plan ahead with your degree path.

The celebrations don’t end there. As we eagerly await our upcoming graduation ceremony on May 3, I am filled with great pride and excitement for the talented graduates who will be joining our distinguished alumni community. As we bid farewell to these students entering their next chapter, let us be reminded of what we are all working towards as artists and designers, and let us continue to keep our dreams alive. Congratulations to the upcoming graduating class, and here’s to a bright and promising future ahead!

Stay creative,

Brent Fitch

President, Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design

The post President’s Update: Spring A 2024 appeared first on RMCAD.

The post President’s Update: Fall A 2023 appeared first on RMCAD.

The post President’s Update: Summer B 2023 appeared first on RMCAD.

The post President’s Update: Spring B 2023 appeared first on RMCAD.