Crystal Williams

Dear RISD Community, 

I write to share the news of Amanda Clark MacMullan’s departure as Vice President of Institutional Advancement. Amanda has decided to step down by the end of the calendar year to focus on her health and family.

While we will deeply miss her leadership, we respect her decision and send our very best wishes for her journey ahead.

Throughout her time at RISD, Amanda’s expertise, professionalism, and unwavering enthusiasm for our mission, programs, and community have made a lasting impact. As we celebrate our 150th year, her spirit, commitment, and the strategic direction she has laid will continue to resonate within our school and positively impact RISD’s future. We are grateful for the momentum of success that her leadership has created, and we thank her for her dedication.

More personally, working with Amanda in these last years has been a professional highlight for me and many of those who have worked with her. Her perspective, insight, expertise and depth of knowledge, interpersonal acumen, and humor have not only been delightful but a great gift. I will miss her among us, leading our fundraising and engagement efforts and most recent successes.  

In light of this transition and to ensure we do indeed continue to build on the strategies and successes Amanda has laid, we are collaborating with a search firm to begin the process of finding a new Vice President of Institutional Advancement, and I will soon announce a small, nimble search committee. In the immediate term, we will seek to identify and appoint an interim leader who will work closely with Amanda and the IA Department. Together, we will ensure our 150th anniversary plans continue smoothly and that the momentum of RISD’s fundraising efforts remains strong.

Thank you for your understanding and support during this time of change. Let us honor Amanda’s contributions and look forward to the continued growth of our vibrant RISD community during this 150th year.

Warm regards,

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President

Dear RISD Community,

As we begin celebrating RISD’s 150th anniversary, I write to remind you that we have launched the Presidential Fund for Campus Projects. Applications for the fund are now open and will be accepted on a rolling basis. We invite proposals for the entirety of the 2026–27 academic year, with the first review deadline of October 1, 2026 fast approaching. 

Students, staff, and faculty are encouraged to apply for monetary support to realize events, activations, and other activities that strengthen our community’s connection to RISD’s notable past and its bright future. As we write RISD’s next chapter, I hope these campus community projects will inspire you to activate RISD’s collective “brain” and to share your talent and creativity with each other. 

Projects ranging from publications, lectures and discussions, or celebratory gatherings are welcomed, and proposals should center what RISD means to you. Proposals will be reviewed by a team representing the RISD community, from students, faculty, staff across departments and administrative partners, as well as alums. Projects that bring multiple departments, disciplines, or constituencies together are especially encouraged. Learn more about RISD’s 150th anniversary and activities at risd.edu/150. 

I look forward to being in community with you all at the Campus Community Welcome Reception on Wednesday at Market Square. 

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President

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