President’s Report 2020 Learn Playand RIT students can do both Plus: What else we’ve been up to that is amazing. B A C D 2 6 1 3 4 7 5 E F G New performing arts scholarship attracts top students to RIT… RIT’s strategic plan calls for the 1 Shubhang Mehrotra, 2 Josh Gudesblat, 3 Quincy Myles Jr., 4 Ndidi Chimah, a hospitality 5 Nicole Tsigaras, 6 Chenyang Lin, 7 Cassie Volkin, a film …where they find opportunities, and… university to develop the leading a computing engineering a percussionist from a computing exploration and tourism management a photo graphy exploration a computer science major and animation major from performing arts program in the major from Bareilly, India, Downingtown, Pa., is major from Cheektowaga, major from Owings Mills, Md., major from Allendale, N.J., from Pittsfield, Mass., has Madison, Ala., plays saxophone From musical theater, classical performing arts groups on performance groups and nation for non-majors to attract the has been singing on stage for studying mechanical N.Y., began playing the has been acting for about 10 has been classically trained been playing the violin in the RIT Pep Band and may orchestra, jazz, pep band, campus, including a Gospel activities each year, and 95 most talented and creative people. nearly 13 years and has been engineering and is in trumpet in sixth grade. years and plans to audition for a in ballet since she was 5 since he was 8 years old. join the concert band and take dancing, and singing, there’s a ensemble and seven a cappella percent of them are enrolled That goal was helped this year by playing guitar for about five the RIT Pep Band and RIT He also enjoyed musical play in the spring. “I like acting years old. She wanted to He enjoys playing in the private lessons. “I like being wide array of performing arts groups. RIT also has produc- in colleges other than liberal Stay tuned nearly 150 new students who received years. “Music for me is a way Philharmonic Orchestra. theater in high school. because it allows me to leave my continue dancing in college, RIT Orchestra and RIT able to just make something opportunities for students at tions at its National Technical arts. Student performers come We expect to have performing arts partial scholarships. of connecting, not just with “The RIT scholarship He is in the RIT Jazz life and live the life of someone but not a lot of colleges Chamber Orchestra. “It’s without any prep work and RIT. Students also get involved Institute for the Deaf, where from all nine RIT colleges. more announcements Of those, 94 were for vocal or instru- myself, but with all these honestly was a big factor,” Ensemble, RIT Singers, else. I get to fully embody this offered opportunities for a way for me to escape not having to find a place behind the scenes, with set performances are done in sign Since 2011, 438 RIT students involving the performing mental music; 22 for musical theater; amazing people. Whenever he said about coming to and RIT Players. “I just new person. I am no longer me her to continue ballet. RIT’s stress.” to put it afterwards. It’s design, sound, and lighting language and simultaneously have graduated with a minor, arts this year. 14 for dance; 10 for acting; and 8 I am feeling anything, I pick RIT. “It not only allows feel that I can’t stop doing anymore for the time being and wellness classes do, and spontaneous and you’re crews. There are 27 theater, voiced. Roughly 2,000 students immersion, or certificate in for technical production. Students up my guitar and strum me to continue my it. I just love sharing my I love that. Acting makes me feel she’s a member of Vis Viva completely in the moment.” dance, music, or other participate in RIT-recognized a performing arts field. submitted video applications, which away my feelings. I get sort music, but encourages talents and creativity happy because it makes me feel Dance Company. “I’ve been were reviewed by faculty members. of depressed on the days I me to do it.” with people.” calm. It makes me feel ener- doing it so long, I consider Meet the seven students on the cover. can’t sing or play the guitar.” getic. Acting fuels me.” it my fun time.” …role models A Jarell Green, a third- D I and You, the opener year packaging science for the 2019-2020 student from Rochester, College of Liberal Arts/ performs with Eight National Technical Beat Measure at the 2019 Institute for the Deaf joint Rochester Fringe Festi- theatrical season, was val in September. Eight entered into the Kennedy Beat Measure started as Center American College an all-male octet in 1987. Theatre Festival. B Adesola “Dewé” E Members of the Adedewe, a third-year RIT Jazz Ensemble electrical engineering typically play big band major, gained fame music of Count Basie, H when he was a finalist Duke Ellington, and on The Voice: Nigeria, Woody Herman as well which aired throughout as contemporary music the African continent from groups such as in 2016. He’s the lead Spyro Gyra. singer of The Roars, a band of fellow RIT F Emma Foster, left, students. a second-year interior design student from C Encore, RIT’s all- Orrington, Maine, and female a cappella group, Abigail Smith, a second- performed during the year ASL-English inter- 2019 Rochester Fringe pretation student from Festival. RIT’s arts com- Cincinnati, performed munity came to life at in Leaves of Poetry in the September festival February 2019. with more than 35 per- formances and exhibits. G The RIT Philharmonic Orchestra performs three concerts a year of standard orchestral repertoire from the 16th century to the present. Students also can play in a variety of chamber music ensembles. H AI-Pollo, a play by David Munnell, senior lecturer and theater pro- Victoria Covell, a graphic gram director for the De- design major from Jacksonville, partment of Performing Ill., won first place in the inaugural Arts and Visual Culture, was a science-fiction President Munson’s Performing spin on Oedipus Rex and Arts Challenge in 2018. She employed augmented performed a dance to a poem and mixed reality. she wrote about what it is like being a dancer who is deaf. 1 FROM THE PRESIDENT PRESIDENT’S Pursuit of the extraordinary, REPORT 2020 Rochester Institute of Technology the novel, the unexpected Executive Editors e are a university with technol- We are constructing a new Global John Trierweiler ogy in our name, and you may Cybersecurity Institute that will be a Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Wknow us for our world-class premier center for cybersecurity educa- engineering, computing, and technology tion, research, and service to corpora- Bob Finnerty ’07 Chief Communications Officer programs. But there’s so much more. tions and governments. The institute will We’re home to nationally ranked art contain state-of-the-art simulation and design majors. We facilities to produce highly Editor Design Director offer more courses in the educated and experienced Mindy Mozer Jeff Arbegast ’93 humanities and social professionals who are sciences than most positioned to solve the Photography Editor Lead Photographers liberal arts colleges. Our world’s most critical Gabrielle Plucknette- Elizabeth Lamark ’00 business programs en- cybersecurity problems— DeVito ’07 A. Sue Weisler ’93 courage entrepreneurial both now and in the future. thinking and innovation We are striving to develop Copy Editor Lead Researcher by leveraging technology. the leading performing arts Marie Lang Luke Auburn ’09, ’15 Opportunities for deaf program in the nation for and hard-of-hearing non-majors to attract the Photographers Writers students at our National most talented and creative Nora C. Babbitt Luke Auburn ’09, ’15 Technical Institute for people. Here, we’re offer- Matteo Bracco Scott Bureau ’11, ’16 the Deaf are unmatched ing performing arts partial Caroline Brodt Michelle Cometa ’00 Erin Gallagher Susan Gawlowicz ’95 by any university in the scholarships to attract Mike Guinto Rich Kiley world. And we have a rich students who want to Eakin Howard Greg Livadas history of unique academic combinations continue their passions along with their Jennifer Leahy Vienna McGrain ’12 specifically designed to respond to an chosen field of study. Eli Liang Ellen Rosen Dylan Toombs Felicia Swartzenberg ’19 ever-evolving marketplace. We are also making progress on a RIT, founded in the 19th century, is one new Innovative Maker and Learning of the top universities in the nation work- Complex, which will be the largest single Print Production ing at the intersection of technology, the construction project on campus in 50 Brenda Monahan arts, and design. We pride ourselves on years. Expected to open in 2022, this preparing our graduates to be citizens of facility will have a huge makerspace, Office of the President the world and to bring goodness at every active-learning classrooms, and elements One Lomb Memorial Drive turn. That means preparing our students of the performing arts. Rochester, NY 14623-5608 not just for jobs and careers, but also RIT is a place where you can exercise 585-475-2396 [email protected] for life. In the RIT context, “innovation” your multiple talents, satisfy your thirst takes on a rich meaning. Along with cre- for learning and for doing, and experi- Marketing and Communications ativity and originality, it is about invent- ment along the way. 22 Lomb Memorial Drive ing the tools, processes, and systems that We’re always on to something.