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
Meet Bailey Staerkel and 2026 Senior Exhibition Project Stitched Together
Bailey Staerkel ’26 (Fashion and Apparel Design) is a Dean’s List student from Vancouver, Wash., and a recipient of a 2026 Alumni Thesis Award. My thesis, Stitched Together, is an exploration of Gothic horror through fashion, taking classic horror archetypes and reinterpreting them into a collection of fully realized couture looks.
MIAD faculty Yi receives Wisconsin Academy Fellows Award
Multidisciplinary artist, curator, mentor and Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) professor Jason S. Yi has been named a 2026 Fellow of the prestigious Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters. Yi is one of “16 extraordinary Wisconsinites who have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to intellectual discourse and public service,” the Academy said in its awards announcement.
Meet Logan Moris and 2026 Senior Exhibition Project Regrowth
This is one in a series of online interviews with MIAD seniors, who share their thoughts about their 2026 Senior Exhibition project and their MIAD education. Logan Moris ’26 (Product Design) is from West Bend, Wis., and a recipient of a 2026 Alumni Thesis Award. What...
MIAD Values Recognition Award: Jason Yi
Jason Yi, Professor of Fine Art + New Studio Practice, received the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) Values Recognition Award for March 2026. Jason received nominations that highlighted his embodiment of MIAD’s Core Values, especially Integrity, Kindness and Community.
Meet Makenzie Cincotta and 2026 Senior Exhibition Project Point Park
Makenzie Cincotta ’26 (Interior Architecture and Design) is a Dean’s List student from Milwaukee and a recipient of a 2026 Alumni Thesis Award.
