On A Mission: Identifying Shared Values
A Message from the Dean
The academic year is off to an inspiring and energizing start at the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design. With classes underway, creative work installed throughout the building, and a robust schedule of activities and events, there is a feeling of great possibilities even in the midst of unprecedented times in higher education.
The Stamps School Mission
At the end of summer, faculty and staff gathered for a Pre-Academic Year Session where we centered the meeting on thoughtful conversations about the future of our beloved institution. As a result, we are currently engaged in a collaborative process to identify our shared values, which will serve as the foundation for developing a renewed mission, vision, and strategic goals for the Stamps School. This work will require input from our entire community, as we come together to reflect on our collective purpose and responsibilities as stewards of a vibrant academic and creative environment.
As part of our extended community, I invite you to weigh in on the mission of the Stamps School. Please review this form which contains the existing mission statement, and share your thoughts on this important statement and the future of the Stamps School.
Studio Upgrades
One mission we are working hard to accomplish is improving the Art & Architecture Building. Although the challenges related to our facilities remain, I’m pleased to share that meaningful progress is underway. Just a year ago, we faced the very real possibility of having to shut down our ceramics studio due to critical infrastructure issues. Today, we are nearing completion of essential repairs to the gas and electrical systems in the kiln room. We are actively mobilizing resources to complete these upgrades and restore full functionality to a studio that is vital to our students’ education and on par with those at peer institutions.
These critical upgrades are also vitally important for supporting our faculty, who are working and making an impact at national and international levels. One such example is Assistant Professor Ebitenyefa Baralaye, who is renowned for his ceramics work — and is also a lead organizer of the annual National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) Conference, which will be held in Detroit in March 2026.
Maintaining and improving our spaces is just one element of a broader campaign to grow and sustain studio-based creative practice, encompassing everything from the ancient ways of making like ceramics, fibers, and painting to the most advanced technologies such as machine learning, AR/VR, and creative coding/programming. Through these efforts, we aim to enrich the work of faculty and prepare our students for their work in the world.
With support from the Office of the Provost, we also plan to introduce a new safety coordinator role which is crucial to ensuring that key spaces within the building are accessible for faculty research and remain safe for all users of our studios. In addition to these major repairs, the Office of the Provost is also providing funding for targeted renovations and space enhancements this year. These updates will include improved offices for Stamps lecturers and dedicated project space for 4D methods.
Student Exhibition Opportunities
We remain steadfastly committed to offering as many opportunities as we can for students to exhibit their work. This summer, students participated in an exhibition at the Ann Arbor Art Fair, where hundreds of people viewed their work. Earlier this fall, our 2025 Second Year Studio Exhibition took place, highlighting creative works in a wide array of media that capture a specific moment in each maker’s path at the Stamps School.
Recently on view at the Stamps Gallery was The Eye of the Storm, an exhibition and installation organized by the Student Exhibition Committee (SEC). The presentation featured work by Stamps students exhibiting a range of media. Student exhibitors included:
- Sage Booth, BFA ’28
- Rachel DeVeyra, BFA ’26
- McKenna Finn, BA ’26
- Reese Ford, BFA ’26
- Abigail Garcia, BFA ’27
- Erin Malone, BFA ’27
- Summer Mansi, BFA ’27
- Margaret (Mags) McKinney, BFA ’28
- Ava Muntner, BFA ’27
- Mia Noël, BFA ’28
- Eliana Pettigrew, BFA ’26
- Oliver Lee St Cyr, BFA ’26
- Jesse Strohauer, BFA ’28
Faculty Exhibitions & Creative Work
Untold Stories: Part II is the second in a series of three exhibitions featuring the work of faculty members from the Stamps School of Art & Design at the Stamps Gallery. Organized thematically, Part II explores timely and resonant themes related to the freedom of expression, movement, and civic rights. On view through December 13, Untold Stories: Part II is curated by Srimoyee Mitra, and features work by Stamps faculty Ebitenyefa Baralaye, Annica Cuppetelli, Quinn A. Hunter, Carol Jacobsen, Andy Kirshner, Rebekah Modrak, and Ricky Weaver. I was happy to see the nice turnout for our faculty at the opening and am personally grateful for the opportunity to engage my colleague’s work.
Many Stamps faculty and staff have exhibitions, presentations, and new opportunities taking place this fall, including: Jesse Stiles, Deepa Butoliya, John Marshall, Emilia Yang, Rogério Pinto, Angela Washko, Kit Parks, Jim Cogswell, Melanie Manos, Quinn Hunter, and Cathy Barry. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and I encourage you to seek out this incredible work of our people.
I am looking forward to traveling with Ryan Davis, our new Assistant Dean of Advancement, as we connect with our alumni and friends across Michigan and around the country. It is our shared mission to remain engaged with all of our Stamps community, and to listen as we seek your input on a number of topics for the common good of the Stamps School. Until then, wishing you a fall season full of family, friends, art, and design.