The Art & Design
of Leadership
As President Rosanne Somerson prepares to leave the institution she has called home since 1972, the RISD community celebrates her deep commitment and lasting contributions to its legacy. The first alumna to be named president during RISD’s 144-year history, Somerson brought a unique understanding to the role as well as a gift for building community and addressing the needs of students, faculty and staff.
During the past 15 months, Somerson has responded to an avalanche of challenges, from the COVID-19 pandemic that rocked institutions around the world to the unprecedented financial crisis it triggered to the unending parade of racist violence perpetrated against Black people here in the US. She has taken a strong stand for BIPOC members of the RISD community and positioned social equity and inclusion at the core of the institution, building a more diverse student body and faculty, increasing the number of racially diverse new hires by 13 percent, exponentially increasing scholarship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, and pushing for a more inclusive, less Eurocentric pedagogy and curriculum.
As a teacher and mentor, Somerson has influenced generations of creative thinkers and makers, demonstrating a quiet sense of confidence combined with accessibility and a relentless desire to learn. By shifting RISD’s focus from art and design star power to environmental and societal impact, she offered the world a veritable road map for using privilege to effect real, measurable change for the greater good. Here we reflect on the many ways she helped to transform RISD as president and share some of the voices raised in her honor.
The Presidential Years
-
Divestment from Fossil Fuels
Garners unanimous support from Board of Trustees to divest the endowment’s direct investments in fossil-fuel extraction company stocks and bonds.
-
Faculty Growth
Under her leadership, RISD’s full-time faculty increases by 20%.
-
RISD’s First SEI Action Plan
Initiates and oversees development of groundbreaking plan with engaged community participation.
-
Creates Center for SEI
New Center for SEI becomes home to faculty fellows conducting pioneering research on race, art and design. Overall student diversity at RISD increases by 25% during her tenure.
-
Washington Place Revamped
A redesigned first floor offers one-stop service center for students. Also implements funding plans for stewarding RISD’s other historic buildings into the future.
-
Global Arts and Cultures Program Founded
New Liberal Arts graduate program invites students to explore the significance of the arts within a cross-cultural, interdisciplinary framework.
-
Teaching and Learning Lab Established
Provides interactive faculty workshops that cultivate inclusive and innovative curricula and pedagogies.
-
Museum Attendance Grows
During her tenure, the number of visitors to the RISD Museum rises 20%.
-
Implementation of Workday
Largest IT conversion in RISD’s history modernizes finance and HR processes, vastly increasing enterprise-wide efficiency.
-
Establishes New RISD Days of Commemoration
Officially renames Columbus Day Indigenous Peoples Day and adopts Juneteenth—commemorating the end of slavery in the US—as an annually observed day of recognition.
-
Development of Anti-Racist Curriculum
Convenes SEI Faculty Committee to establish a rubric for tagging SEI-related courses with the goal of building a multiyear curricular structure focused on decoloniality.
-
RISD Museum Launches Anti-Racist Initiatives
Anti-racist actions include launching the Americas Research Initiative focused on Indigenous art and design and committing 75 percent of acquisitions budget to increasing representation of BIPOC artists.
-
Expanded Education Planned
With Continuing Education enrollment skyrocketing in response to online offerings, RISD makes plans to launch non-degree conferring professional education program.
-
Illustration MFA Introduced
Two-year advanced studio program looks to the future of illustration by focusing on critical perspectives, artistic voice and visual literacy in the public realm.
-
Student Applications Spike
Under her leadership, applications rise by 78% and acceptance rate drops to 16%, making RISD one of the most selective schools in the US.
-
Endowment Reaches Record High
Under her leadership, endowment increases by 26%.
Academic Path &
Studio Practice
-
Earns BFA at RISD in Industrial Design
Intends to major in Photography but opts for ID after discovering the woodshop.
-
Maintains Studio Practice
Establishes furniture-making practice in 1979 and remains active throughout her career. Work now included in many private and corporate collections and those of such institutions as the Smithsonian, the RISD Museum, the MFA in Boston, Yale University Art Gallery and the Smith College Museum of Art.
-
Exhibits Work Globally
Since launching her practice, has exhibited work in group and solo shows hosted by galleries and museums around the world.
-
Cofounds Furniture Design Department
Goes on to lead the department until 2010, when she is promoted to assistant provost.
-
Earns National Distinguished Educator Award
Recognized by James Renwick Alliance of the Smithsonian Institute for significant contributions to American education in the field of craft.
-
Co-Designs Student Residence Furniture
Creates eco-friendly furniture suites for new dorm rooms in the Roger Mandle Living and Learning Center.
-
Brown/RISD Dual Degree Program Established
Leads development of five-year dual degree program drawing on the complementary strengths of two world-class institutions, now one of the most selective programs in the country.
-
Named Assistant Provost
At request of President Roger Mandle, takes on role for one year, overseeing move of 62 academic spaces, relocation of library and development of Roger Mandle Living and Learning Center.
-
Recognized for Lifetime Achievement
Furniture Society bestows its Award of Distinction celebrating outstanding achievement in the art of furniture making.
-
Groundbreaking Strategic Plan Introduced
Five-year Critical Making/Making Critical plan focuses on critical making, thinking and innovation through immersive, disciplinary learning and engagement in the practice of art and design.
-
Co-Edits The Art of Critical Making
Contributes to substantial Wiley book focused on RISD’s unique educational model.