It’s been almost eight months since I began my tenure as President of Art Center, and in that relatively brief amount of time I have had the privilege of meeting many of you—most recently during my travels to Seoul, Tokyo and Beijing. Time and again I find myself inspired by the contributions you are making in art and design, and I am truly honored to lead an institution where the alumni are redefining the cultural landscape.

As many of you know, 2010 marks a momentous occasion in the history of the College—our 80th anniversary. This latest issue of Outer Circle pays homage to our history through a striking visual essay accompanied by alumni reflections. We also highlight new benefits offered through our Alumni Relations Office, including career resource workshops and an entrepreneurial mentorship initiative.

As we celebrate our legacy, however, it is also the perfect occasion to enter into a bold conversation about our educational future. This past January, we launched a comprehensive planning process involving the entire College community—students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees and friends. Following countless brainstorms, deep conversations and working group sessions, we are slowly but surely formalizing a creative vision and strategy for Art Center’s future that places renewed emphasis on students, scholarships, curricular development and faculty. The final outcomes of this process will be announced by year’s end.

In the meantime, we have launched the “80 for 80” campaign, a scholarship drive to help make an Art Center education possible for students who otherwise could not attend the College. With a $2 million goal over the next year, the campaign has already raised more than $1 million for scholarships.

I hope you’ll join us at upcoming alumni events celebrating our 80th anniversary (check out our Events section to learn more) or simply stop by my office to say hello. My door is always open.

Lorne M. Buchman
President