Your time at RISD will be enriched by many wonderful people, of course,  and by many wonderful facilities, as well.  Everyone here has a favorite place or two — places they feel are truly out of the ordinary and are likely to really spark your creative juices.  The RISD Museum is near the top of most lists and so is our Nature Lab, a unique combination of natural history museum and lending library.  The creative folks at Etsy recently came to explore the wonders of the Nature Lab and made a wonderfully evocative short film.  Take a look and, if you’ve never walked through this “magic” door before, put it on your list of things to do the next time you’re on campus.

Ed Newhall, Director of Admissions

contact me at enewhall@risd.edu

Jake Cooper

Class Year: 2012

Major: Graphic Design

Hometown: Trumbull, CT

Summer plans: Apart from working as a tour guide for RISD this summer, I’m also a RISD Pre College Hall Monitor. I guess it’s a RISD tradition to be up late in Providence - our job is to stay on watch until 5 AM.

What do you do in your free time: I like to design t-shirts for Threadless, they’ve got this great program where if your design gets produced you’re given a $3000 scholarship to your school. Apart from that I love to write (I’m “concentrating” in English) and play guitar. I’ve been playing since I was twelve and began recording since my high school days.

Favorite project at RISD: In one of my classes we had to make a painting while simultaneously taking a shower. It was so hard to work around the constant pounding of the water on the paper, but the end designs came out great. Little hint though: don’t use WATERPROOF ink (sorry custodial staff)

What you like best about RISD: I love RISD’s ability to constantly reinvent what art means to me. RISD really opened my eyes to new approaches and thought processes and helped me apply them in my work. I’ve always felt that RISD taught its student to really consider art for what it is, and to teach us the true value of what it is that we do. RISD really taught me that art is more than just a form of expression, and that art is an entirely what you make it.

Future plans: I’d love to be a published author, and design t-shirts in the future. As well as take my graphic design background and introduce it into a fine arts setting…………..And then there’s always the big dream of being layout editor/photographer/graphic artist for MAXIM and GQ Magazine….If you have any questions about visiting or Admissions, feel free to contact me.

Antonio Peters

 apeters@risd.edu

 AIM: risd1877 

Our admitted transfer applicants are now measuring RISD for a good fit and we hope you’ll get a chance to visit and feel yourself in the community.  Our Big Welcome is out for all.  There are two organized Open House events next week, or we can arrange a visit at any time if your calendar doesn’t match with these scheduled programs.  Get in touch with Admissions at 800 364 7473 or admissions@risd.edu to set a date.

Ed Newhall, Director of Admissions, contact me at enewhall@risd.edu

Our alumni magazine, RISD Views, is published twice a year, sharing the accomplishments of alums and students, and presenting issues important in the world of the visual arts, design and culture.  The spring edition touches upon issues facing the country and the world, and how creative thinkers are being challenged by these issues and energized by the opportunity to play a role in new solutions.  Here’s to all the creative minds at RISD - past, present and future!

Ed Newhall, Director of Admissions, contact me at enewhall@risd.edu

Hello all of you soon to be RISD freshmen-and all of you who are still contemplating being a soon to be RISD freshmen. Your new life is less then 5 months away and I’m sure one of the many things you’ve been excitedly wondering about is living on campus at RISD.  Dorm life is one of the most important aspects of being a freshman.  This is because you are finally completely and unequivocally immersed in a community that is devoted to art. At the end of a long wonderful day of rigorously excercising your creative brains, you get to make your way up the steep, tree lined College Hill to the freshman dorms where 400 of your new family members reside. There you will eat together, play together, hang out together, do your homework together, and the next morning you will start the whole process all over again. You will work harder then you have ever worked before and you will meet your best friends in the process-it will be the most fun and exciting time of your life!
Now let’s talk about what your actual dorm room may be like. The picture above shows a fairly typical freshman dorm room. All of the rooms are spacious with a good amount of natural light.  You will get your own bed, large dresser, drafting table and fire safe trashcan. The rooms have enough space for you to bring a mini fridge, TV and a computer, but before you haul all of that stuff into the family van, you might want to chat with your future roommate first about what they are bringing.  Another thing that you should know about is that throughout the freshman dorms there are large workrooms with workbenches, high ceilings and empty white walls.  These spaces are there for you to work in at any time of day or night. Also, the Met (the main dining hall) is located within the freshman quad area so it’s convenient to eat on the run if you need to. If you don’t feel like venturing over to the Met and you want to whip up a feast to share with your friends, there are a handful of kitchen spaces equipped with fridges, microwaves and stoves in the dorms for you to use. And, if everyone in your hall feels like watching a movie and eating delicious snacks, there are a handful of lounges with comfy couches and TV’s.  There are more then enough bathrooms and showers to go around and there are washers and dryers in several places if you are so inclined to do some laundry.  The freshman dorms will be your home away from home!

Well, I hope this information satisfies your curiosity for now. Once you send in your matriculation fee, we will send you another packet, which includes more information about living at RISD.  If you have any questions about the dorms in the mean time, you can contact Residence Life at 401-454-6650.

Lee Ann Scotto, Admissions Officer, 401-454-6324

 Welcome admitted freshmen! Our first open house was this past Wednesday April 15 and it was great to see you all. Having the pleasure of meeting and greeting all of the admitted freshmen here on our campus brings the process full circle. Its a full  day of presentations from the Dean of Foundation Studies, the Liberal Arts Department, Career Services and more. This is a great opportunity to tour the campus and get all of your questions answered as you prepare to join the RISD family! Speaking of family; the Admitted Freshman Open House gives us a chance to also say hello to all the Moms, Dads, brothers, sisters, Aunts, and Uncles who have supported you through the application process. They are so proud of your accomplishment and we know that its often a full family effort that helped you make this far to RISD.

The next Open House is today, Friday April 17 and the last one will be held next Friday April 24. If you have been admitted and haven’t arranged to attend call the Admissions Office and we will schedule a visit. See you there! 

Leon Paul Hovanesian II
Admissions Officer
lhovanes@risd.edu