Faculty
Our faculty, who inspire our students and graduates, are innovators. They have a long tradition as passionate, intelligent and dynamic educators who are working artists and designers. But they are now also known for having transformed the essence of learning by ‘unlocking the curriculum’. In doing so, they reinvented the college beyond course descriptions and disciplines to offer a contemporary, integrated experience that blends personal context, research, practice, the traditions of ‘making’, and interdisciplinary critique and design.
“We are a community of innovators. We are artists, designers, educators, writers and scholars committed to our students, to fueling industry, transforming our communities, and defining our culture. As active and accomplished professionals, we are the creative engine that shapes MIAD’s curriculum, centered on the rigorous preparation needed for a successful creative life. Learning at MIAD is the result of the synergy of teacher and learner. It’s a collaboration grounded in intellectual inquiry and research, critique and assessment, working alone and in a community of creative professionals. Our students learn to persist, ask better questions, and think independently while mastering a discipline. It’s our privilege to nurture this process and mentor talented individuals as they turn their passion into their profession. MIAD’s students, faculty, staff, and broader community partners are bonded by a deep commitment to the creative process, a respect for the unique contribution of each of our voices, and our passion for making. That’s why we choose MIAD. That’s how we make MIAD.”
News
Art direction and alumni connection: Design student interns at Nike
This past summer, Olivia Nava ’26 (Communication Design) landed a fiercely competitive internship at athletic footwear and apparel brand Nike. Now that she’s back, the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) senior reflects on the experience, and the MIAD classes and connections that prepared her for this opportunity.
MIAD gallery offers photo students contemporary perspectives
In the photo area of the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, where digital technology and the darkroom intersect, the Perspectives Gallery shines its own light on contemporary image makers.
Transformational reflection: Studying abroad in The Burren, Ireland
Each year, a group of Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) students spends four weeks in May investigating the Burren in County Clare, Ireland through text and image. Based at the Burren College of Art and led by Professor Leslie Fedorchuk and printmaker Matthew Presutti, the two-decade-long partnership between the colleges has produced meaningful reflection and transformational experiences for students.
Meet Trent Stuefen and 2025 Senior Exhibition project Terratus
Trent Stuefen ’25 (Communication Design) is a President’s (Honor) List student from Sheboygan, Wis., who received a 2025 MIAD Alumni Senior Thesis Award.
MIAD Alumni Association Board welcomes new president
The Alumni Association Board at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) welcomes David Szymanski ’13 (Photography) as the new president. Szymanski follows the tenure of Sara Mulloy ’06 (Painting), who served as the previous Alumni Board president.