President’s Update: Spring B, 2021

Greetings RMCAD Community,

On the anniversary of the start of the pandemic, I reflect on all that we have been through in such a short time. As a community, we locked arms and committed to be one school with one voice to overcome the challenges posed by Covid-19 and be stronger for it. 

We are so glad you are taking this journey with us as we fulfil our commitments to you. Whether you are taking courses online, teaching and supporting students, or participating through synchronous video, we appreciate the energy you contribute to the community and to the institution. 

Campus Updates
I hope you are adjusting well since we switched back to our Blended+ format at the beginning of this term. As a friendly reminder, Blended+ is meant to keep you safe while giving you access to clean facilities on campus by appointment. I am happy to share that this semester is going smoothly thanks to the collaborative effort of our passionate faculty and staff. 

We are just as eager as you are to return to campus. It is encouraging to see the progress the Denver Metropolitan area is making, and with more opportunities to be vaccinated we hope to start bringing students and faculty back on campus this Summer. Status updates about Blended+ can be found on our COVID-19 page. In addition, we have our Spring B 2021 FAQs for those who need a refresher on our processes in place.

Student Success
One of my highlights last term was to meet with our AIGA Student group, who recently won an Ad Award from the 2020 Ad Club of Colorado’s “The Fifty” Awards Event for their branding work with DATA (Denver Anti-Trafficking Alliance)! The Ad Club of Colorado is the local chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), and every year they select the top 50 advertising/design projects from Agencies/Organizations from the Denver Area to represent the chapter. 

This award is also referred to as a Local “Addy” Award. Congratulations to Melissa Casaus (AIGA President), Brianne Rodriguez (AIGA Vice President), Allison Grzeskiewicz (AIGA Secretary), Zuzia Kudasik, Travis Schuett, Whitney Grimm and Darion Ramkissoon on their contributions to this project! I would also like to give special thanks to AIGA faculty sponsors Jim Reiman, Shelby Huckabay and Jay Hollick. 

Commencement Postponed
Last week, we announced that our commencement ceremony will be postponed due to the current status of the pandemic. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we navigate these uncertain times, and look forward to seeing our graduates walk across the stage once we are allowed to host a safe graduation ceremony.

RMCAD’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
In response to hate crimes against Asian and Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, we expressed our continuous support of minority groups last week. I would like to reiterate our Diversity Statement: RMCAD maintains a policy of inclusiveness that recognizes, values, and reflects the diversity of the community it serves. We welcome people from all backgrounds who are committed to creativity, academic excellence, and the betterment of society and culture. We stand firm in support of social justice, civility, mutual respect, and the free exchange of open ideas.

Response to Violent Act in Boulder
We are deeply saddened by the loss of ten innocent lives that were taken yesterday in Boulder, Colorado. We offer our most heartfelt condolences and mourn with the victims, families, and all those involved.

With so much going on both nationally and locally, we want to remind you that you don’t have to process these things alone. Students, we hope you will utilize our Health and Wellness Center counselors as someone you can talk to and find the support you may need. You can contact them at counselor@rmcad.edu. 

We are excited to see the great things you accomplish in the remaining weeks of this term. Best of luck and stay creative!

With warmest regards,