Full Steam Ahead
RISD is rapidly expanding engagement of alumni and families in the vital work of the college and museum. It is exciting to see plans and aspirations come to fruition, and it has been especially gratifying to witness the many ways our community is embracing new opportunities to get involved and support our students.
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic instability, RISD received the second highest level of philanthropic support in its history. Our donors gave generously to provide emergency funds for students impacted by the pandemic, increase financial aid and invest in new programs. The RISD Student Action Initiative, in particular, was noteworthy as several students and alumni came together to rally other alumni, parents, faculty, staff and their fellow students to raise funds to support their classmates during a time of need.
The stories we have shared in this issue reflect how we have directed our efforts to support students, alumni and families in recent months. We have placed significant emphasis on generating increased financial aid for students. But, as important, we are helping them find internships and build their professional networks by connecting them with alumni in their fields.
Our efforts for alumni have increased virtual learning and professional development opportunities. We did this by expanding our webinar offerings around career-building, business skills and adapting creative practices during COVID-19. We also have launched many new affinity groups since this time last year, including RISD Black BEB (Architects) and RISD Black Alumni. Stay tuned for announcements about more groups forming to help alumni of color better network and address shared concerns. Perhaps our most significant accomplishment has been the RISD Network—a digital platform that now has more than 2,000 alumni and 500 students signed up to connect and learn from one another.
We’ve also made investments to better serve the families of RISD students. In partnership with Student Affairs, we launched the Families Association website in August. We have also developed a new Families Ambassadors program that helps families of incoming students navigate the new terrain by connecting them with families whose students have been at RISD and know the ropes. Our aim is to welcome all RISD families into our community and provide them with information and opportunities to connect and get involved.
We are excited to continue developing a multiplicity of means for you to engage with our global community, and we appreciate your generous support.
O’Neil Outar
Vice President of Institutional Engagement
