President Crystal Williams and Provost Touba Ghadessi welcome new and returning students and lead an emotional Convocation ceremony in the RISD Auditorium.
RISD Welcomes the Class of 2030 at the Start of 150th Academic Year
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Students, faculty, and staff filled the RISD Auditorium to celebrate the beginning of the 2026–27 academic year, RISD's 150th year of art and design education and cultural impact. “This marks 150 years of exalting the creative and eschewing convention,” President Crystal Williams told the crowd assembled for Convocation 2026, “and you are all now part of this incredible history. Let’s pause and reflect on how RISD and RISD alums have transformed culture.”
Williams went on to provide real-world examples of alums who have used their talents and unique brand of creative thinking to shape the world around them, including the redesign of New York City’s trash cans via the BetterBin Competition; New Mexico-based arts collective Meow Wolf, whose mission is making art accessible to the general public; and industrial designer Jules Sherman 94 ID, who designs medical devices in collaboration with patients and their families. “Life is a journey to aid others,” she noted. “It begins with simple questions and the courage to find the answers.”
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RISD Museum Director Tsugumi Maki also welcomed new and returning students and reminded them that they are not alone. She encouraged students to find inspiration in the museum, which connects visitors to “ideas and objects from many cultures and times.”
Provost Touba Ghadessi took the podium next, introducing RISD’s academic leaders, who were assembled on stage in full academic regalia, as well as department heads and graduate program directors. “The faculty are here to support you and accompany you on this journey,” she noted.
Ghadessi went on to explain the Persian concept of taarof from her own family’s culture. She described it as a form of social etiquette that emphasizes humility and mutual respect, the intentional creation of cultural harmony.
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“I invite you to expand your world and make the effort to enter someone else’s world with respect, empathy, and curiosity,” Ghadessi continued. “At RISD you will explore the many stories that contribute to your complex selves. You will iterate, create, make, fail, and get back up and create again.”
The formal event followed a weekend of student move-ins and informal gatherings. A long line of packed cars was met by enthusiastic volunteers and Williams herself, who greeted students and their loved ones as they unloaded their vehicles and prepared to say their farewells. A resource fair featured tables and meet-and-greets with staff from Residence Life, RISD Careers, RISD Dining, and other campus departments. Students were also invited to ice-breaking activities like lawn games and a wellness carnival hosted by the Center for Student Involvement.
“The start of the academic year is a hopeful time filled with opportunities to embody our potential,” Williams said in an email welcome message to campus. “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.”
Kaylee Pugliese
September 14, 2026
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From being greeted at their dorm rooms during move-in by President Williams to enjoying an evening at the RISD Museum, the Class of 2027 had a lively first week on campus.
President Crystal Williams, Provost Touba Ghadessi, other academic leaders address the Class of 2028 at uplifting Convocation ceremony.