2025 Summer Welcomes: Meeting RISD Where You Are
This summer, RISD’s Alumni and Family Relations Office hosted a series of Summer Welcomes to bring new families together with staff, students and alumni across the globe, from Boston, Providence, Philadelphia, New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Los Angeles to Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing and Taiwan. These gatherings are all about connection: helping families put faces to the names of the staff who will support their students on campus, meeting alumni whose career success eases concerns about art and design as a path, and fostering friendships before the first day of classes.
Each event has its own spark. In Washington, D.C., past parents Monk and Mara Topping P 24 hosted an evening filled with positive energy and eager conversations. In San Francisco, alum Jonathan Arena 09 GD welcomed a mix of new families, current students and alumni for an exchange of stories and advice. One parent recalled the reassurance of hearing Arena say, “I graduated 15 years ago, and I’m still doing this. It’s okay to let your child follow their creative passion.”
These moments make a difference. One student who attended a Summer Welcome lit up on move-in weekend when she spotted familiar faces she had met at the event. That sense of recognition and belonging is exactly what Summer Welcomes are designed to create. As RISD looks ahead, the program is poised to grow: meeting students and families where they are, with strong alumni networks and new regional hosts, so that no matter where students begin their journey, they arrive on campus already connected.
