Society of Presidential Fellows
The Society of Presidential Fellows program enhances RISD’s competitiveness in recruiting and retaining its most sought-after students. These students work with faculty on research and creative projects, elevate the educational experience for all students and enhance the reputation of RISD’s graduate programs.
2023 Presidential Fellows
Presidential Fellows are selected through a highly competitive process and receive full-tuition funding for the duration of their graduate program. They also participate in special programming designed to enrich their studies and advance their careers, including opportunities to connect with RISD alumni mentors who are creative thought leaders.
Alfonso Vicencio is a multidisciplinary Black-Latino printmaker and painter from the Washington, DC, area. His work explores the synthesis of analog and digital production processes as methods to navigate the use of images in a world of new media and mass information. Alfonso received his BFA in Printmaking from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2021.
“One of my primary objectives in pursuing my studies at RISD is to expand my knowledge of global histories and post-digital theories to better develop the narratives of my work and building on my past mixed-media experiments synthesizing printmaking processes with paintings.”
Elise Mollie Williams is an interdisciplinary artist currently located in Savannah, Georgia. Her emotionally-charged work uses sculpture, painting, writing and performance/video works to interrogate and examine both the biological and the intangible structures many of us exist within. Under the microscope she places the absurdities and peculiarities of the roles, rules, and regulations humans construct. Elise trained initially to become a microbiologist at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before retraining as a professional artist and receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2023.
“With this fellowship and access to RISD’s renowned resources and faculty, I hope to expand my work in emotional biology in new and important ways. I am most excited about using the Nature Lab’s range of microscopes for research and working closely with faculty on contemporary and interdisciplinary approaches to sculpture.”
Rene Camarillo is an East Los Angeles born and raised creative who produces handcrafted apparel with themes of immigration, labor, and critique on the social engagement of fast fashion industry practices. Through his work, Rene investigates “privilege pluralism” between consumer and maker, and produces with an emphasis on immigrant diaspora. Rene Camarillo earned an Associate Degree of Los Angeles Trade Technical College in 2019 and has obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion, Fiber and Materials from California State University in 2021.
“I want to move in the direction that will allow me to increase the volume in my voice and provide me with a promising future. I hope to hone my skills and expand my art and garments through social spaces such as galleries, studios and eventually, to the consumer. I also hope to return to East Los Angeles one day and teach my community new skills.”
Leslie Anne Condon is a Lao-American multidisciplinary artist and independent curator. As an artist-scholar, she is interested in Critical Race Art History and issues of representation within the arts. Leslie views her public practice, including her artmaking, scholarship, curation, community organizing, and public speaking, as a means to support and advocate for the BIPOC community. She earned her Post Baccalaureate in Fine Art 3D from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2011.
“I look forward to engaging in rigorous research during my studies while maintaining involvement with RISD’s many cultural spaces, like the RISD Museum and the Gelman Student Exhibitions Gallery, and working with RISD’s Center for Social Equity & Inclusion, which, like my own work, looks to address complex social inequities through creative public discourse.”
Osmond Tshuma is an award-winning Zimbabwean artist, designer, art director, typographer and curator specializing in African-inspired themes. He is the co-founder of Mam'Gobozi Design Factory, a South African design studio celebrating African identity through design, art and product design. His work challenges conventional approaches by acting as a call to the decolonization of Eurocentrism in graphic design and media, plus as an ode to the beauty in celebrating African culture, heritage, and belonging. Osmond obtained his graphic design degree from the University of Johannesburg in South Africa in 2013.
“I want to change the way the world sees Afrikan design. The SPF program will help me learn more design tools to build our agency and to achieve my dreams of building a design school in Zimbabwe with an Afrikan-centered curriculum.”
Gabriel Peter is an unconventional architect from Nigeria's Niger Delta region. His passion goes beyond mere aesthetics alone as he actively works on developing sustainable design strategies for areas grappling with the profound impacts of climate change. Gabriel earned his Bachelor's degree in Architecture from Cross River University of Technology in 2022 and has excelled as an interior architect and lead designer for various companies.
“Through this fellowship, I hope to better serve my community by developing resilient nature-based solutions to reduce the impacts of climate change and flooding for the most vulnerable and underserved populations.”
David Legrand MFA 25 PT
David Legrand is a Haitian visual artist based in Maryland. From his upbringing in Haiti, he has witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of political instability and violence in his local community. As a result, his work is committed to raising public awareness about migration and the psychological cost of missing home. By combining elements of anthropology, philosophy, and art, David aims to create a dialogue with the public about the intersection of personal and collective memory. He studied Studio Arts at Montgomery College, later transferred, and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Cornell University in May 2023.
“I believe this program will provide the ideal combination of theoretical and practical training to help me succeed in my artistic pursuits. I look forward to expanding my knowledge and skills and learning through RISD’s distinguished faculty, diverse course offerings, mentors, and peers.”
Endow a fellowship
Society of Presidential Fellowship Fund — $1,000,000
The Society of Presidential Fellows was launched in 2019 as a direct line of support for improving RISD’s recruitment and retention of highly talented graduate students, many of whom have been opting for competing institutions that offer more generous financial aid packages. Our goal in the next five years is to secure funding for RISD’s top 50 graduate students.
Endowed Society of Presidential Fellowships fund a student's full tuition for one to three years of study, depending on the length of their academic programs. Fellows apply to programs through existing processes; department heads and deans then select their most exceptional applicants and final selections are made by the President and Provost. The society is simply a way to guarantee that resources are made available to our most promising applicants.
In addition to providing financial support, the Presidential Fellowship is a notable award that adds to each recipient’s professional credentials. Fellows receive a special certificate signed by the President emphasizing the prestigious nature of the award and identifying the benefactor responsible for their award. Presidential Fellows are also invited to participate in special events throughout the academic year with creative thought leaders, and each Fellow is assigned an alumni mentor for the duration of their studies.
As an endowment donor, you will receive annual stewardship reports, which include a financial statement, an overall endowment performance update, biographies on all students in the cohort, an invitation to the annual fall induction ceremony and communications from named fellow(s).
Learn more about the SPF
To find out more about the SPF nomination process, go to graduatestudy.risd.edu, our dedicated website for advanced study at RISD. If you are interested in contributing to the Society of Presidential Fellows Fund please contact us at giving@risd.edu or call 844 454-1877.