Crystal Williams

Dear students, staff and faculty,

Welcome to RISD, class of 2030, new staff, and faculty! And welcome back to our returning community members; we are delighted to begin the new year with all of you! 

This year, two exciting endeavors are underway, which I outline below—the celebration of RISD’s 150th anniversary, RISD’s sesquicentennial, and the emerging new strategic plan. One focuses us on our history; the other, on our future. 

150 Years of RISD!

This year, RISD officially kicks off celebrations for its 150th anniversary—one hundred and fifty years of exalting the creative, shunning convention, and fostering the limitless potential of generations of artists, designers, and creative leaders! RISD’s origin story is notable. It started with a group of women who believed in the power of art and design to not only impact but also transform. Since that time, this small school has evolved into an extraordinary incubator, a place where inspiration and talent converge to create amazing, daring, and limitless impact all over the world. 

This once-in-a-lifetime year will be replete with events and activities for the entire RISD community—including alums, families, and friends. Events will take place here in Providence and in many other locales around the globe. Some plans are set. But others are still being finalized. Once able, we will send out a communication outlining all that is happening. For now, one event is worth noting: A campus community welcome reception is scheduled for September 16th. So mark your calendars! Later this semester, an art auction featuring RISD alums will take place in November in NYC, with proceeds benefiting scholarships and student success. And in the Spring, a broad array of activities, from campus-wide Founders’ day celebrations to community-driven projects and events supported by the RISD 150 Presidential Fund are forthcoming. Indeed, opportunities to celebrate and reflect on what RISD means to our community and the larger world will abound. Please get involved and participate.

Strategic Planning

It’s also an exciting year because even as we celebrate our past, we are also dreaming of our institution’s future. Over the last several years, we have maintained a focus on strategic priorities that strengthen our community, center our students, and stabilize our operations, finances, and academic programs. In fall 2025, RISD began developing a three-to-five-year strategic plan through a consultative process to help us further consider priorities and activities that advance our mission and vision for a viable future. Synthesizing more than 3,000 ideas and recommendations from nearly one thousand voices across the institution and broader external communities, alongside feedback gathered through recent institutional initiatives (i.e., Campus Climate Assessment, Holistic Student Wellness, Preparedness for Life After RISD, and Financial Optimization), the Strategic Planning Steering Committee has identified four pillars that have emerged as the current framework for RISD’s next strategic plan. The working titles for the pillars are:

• We Are RISD, in which we will serve a common vision as we respect our pluralities and idiosyncrasies.

• Art & Design Futures, in which we will champion art and design education with ambition, excellence, and integrity.

• RISD for Life, in which we will equip students to lead fulfilling lives on campus and long after they leave.

• A Strong RISD, in which we will achieve financial fortitude to embolden our institution through its people, their ideas, and our impact.

Additional information about opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to learn more about and further engage in the strategic planning process and plan development will be shared via email soon. I want to thank all of you who have already participated via the numerous on-campus sessions, surveys, and other means of providing input and feedback. Your good thinking and engagement have been important and exceedingly helpful. 

The start of the academic year is a hopeful time filled with opportunities to embody our potential. I wish you a year of good health, wellness and stamina, that you are surrounded by love and community, and that your creativity and potential are nurtured and amplified. I am excited to travel this year with all of you. There is so much for which to be thankful among us. And I am thankful for you all. 

Take good care.

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President

Campus Community Welcome Reception

September 16, 2026
4–6 pm
Market Square 
(between RISD Auditorium and Market House)

Please save the date for a Campus Community Welcome Reception, hosted by President Williams, to kick off the academic year! Based on community feedback and in anticipation of RISD’s 150th anniversary, we are excited to bring together students, faculty, and staff for an afternoon of community connection.

Mark your calendar and join us for food trucks, art activations, and music. Additional details and an RSVP form will follow in the coming weeks.

ESPAÑOL

Recepción de Bienvenida a la Comunidad Universitaria

16 de septiembre de 2026
4–6 pm
Market Square
(Plaze entre el Auditorio de RISD y la Casa Market)

Por favor, reserven la fecha para la Recepción de Bienvenida a la Comunidad Universitaria, organizada por la Presidenta Williams para dar inicio al nuevo año académico. A partir de los comentarios de nuestra comunidad y con miras a celebrar el 150.º aniversario de RISD, nos entusiasma reunir a estudiantes, docentes y personal para una tarde de encuentro y conexión.

Marquen sus calendarios y acompáñennos para disfrutar de puestos de comida móviles, actividades artísticas y música. Próximamente compartiremos más detalles y el formulario para confirmar su asistencia.

PORTUGUÊS

Recepção de boas-vindas à comunidade do campus

16 de setembro de 2026
16h às 18h
Praça do Mercado
(entre o Auditório da RISD e Market House)

Reserve a data para a recepção de boas-vindas à comunidade do campus, oferecida pela Presidente Williams, para marcar o início do ano letivo! Com base no feedback da comunidade e em antecipação do 150º aniversário da RISD, estamos entusiasmados por reunir alunos, professores e funcionários para uma tarde de integração na comunidade.

Reserve a data e junte-se a nós para desfrutar de food trucks, atividades artísticas e música. Mais detalhes e um formulário de confirmação de presença serão enviados nas próximas semanas.

Dear RISD Community,

I am pleased to share that we have completed the search for our inaugural executive director of RISD Ready! Joanne Mitchell, an academic leader with rich experience in advancing student success and career readiness outcomes for emerging artists, designers, and creatives, will join RISD on August 17.

During the interview process, Joanne demonstrated a deep understanding of the importance of collaboration and relationship building in her approach to post-graduation success–in the myriad ways individuals define it. I was impressed by her creativity and sensitivity, which allowed her to successfully work with a broad range of faculty, as well as how she has engaged community partners in academic settings, all while maintaining a student-centered approach. Further, her thoughtfulness and understanding of the developmental trajectories of artists and designers, and the ways in which art and design schools significantly differ from other models of higher education, will enable her to immediately begin to advance the goals of RISD Ready! I look forward to working with such an insightful and impactful leader.

Throughout her career in higher education, Joanne has focused on advancing student success, academic effectiveness, and post-graduation success for artists and designers. As associate provost for Educational Effectiveness and Enrollment Management at Otis College of Art & Design, Joanne served on the leadership team that developed the institution’s strategic plan for career outcomes, working closely with faculty partners to strengthen connections among curriculum, mentorship, and industry experience. This work included the creation of new internship courses, which in their first year achieved 100% internship placement for enrolled students. More recently, she has focused on aligning foundational workshops and advising structures to expand students’ access to professional experiences throughout their academic journey. Joanne also brings valuable experience engaging alumni and trustees in curricular and co-curricular activities that expose students to diverse career paths. Furthermore, Joanne’s commitment to equity is evident in her experience and approach to leadership. At Otis, she co-developed and co-led a summer program to support first-generation students. Her extensive experience leading student success, retention, and assessment initiatives will serve the RISD community well.

Joanne holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Economics from Wesleyan University, a Master of Public Policy and Management from Yale University, and a Master of Fine Arts in Photography/Video from California Institute of the Arts.

RISD enlisted the expertise of WittKieffer to identify a strong pool of candidates for this national search. I would like to thank all of the staff, students, faculty, trustees, and alums who participated in this process, either through small group interviews and/or during the campus presentations. I deeply value your engagement and feedback.

I would also like to extend my gratitude and appreciation to the members of the search committee for their time and care as we completed this inaugural search.

Please join me in welcoming Joanne to the RISD community!

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President