MIAD calls for accountability, justice and an end to systematic racism
MIAD condemns the tragic shooting of Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this painful and difficult time.
MIAD stands in solidarity with others calling for accountability, justice and an end to systemic racism.
Resources at MIAD and in our community are available to impacted students and employees as follows:
For students:
- Please reach out to Jennifer Crandall, Associate Dean of Students and coordinator of the MIAD Wellness Team. Email: jennifercrandall@miad.edu
- Please reach out to Richard Anderson-Martinez, Director of Equity and Inclusion. Email: randersonmartinez@miad.edu
For employees:
- Faculty and staff who need support, please reach out to Dusty Hoot, Director of Human Resources. Email: dustinhoot@miad.edu
For non-emergency situations, please consider these community-based alternatives:
For community support and activism:
- Black Visions Collective – an arts collective advocating and organizing for transformative justice and liberation by and for Black Minnesotans (IG)
- BLOC: Black Leaders Organizing for Change – local community organization (IG)
News
MIAD faculty, alumni shine at WI Visual Art Achievement Awards
Professor Leslie Fedorchuk and alumni of the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) received four of the eight individual 2026 Wisconsin Visual Art Achievement Awards for “their significant contributions to the state’s creative culture.”
National Society of Illustrators honors 13 MIAD students
First-place winner Sophia Simonson ’28 created Refractions as part of her MIAD studies in Interior Architecture and Design. She is one of 20 students studying at MIAD through a cross-registration program with Concordia University. MIAD students Kaitlyn Powers ’26 (Illustration) and Natalie Spetell ’27 (Product Design), both of whom have minors in Communication Design, received Honorable Mentions.
Pallas Textiles competition provides real-world experience
First-place winner Sophia Simonson ’28 created Refractions as part of her MIAD studies in Interior Architecture and Design. She is one of 20 students studying at MIAD through a cross-registration program with Concordia University. MIAD students Kaitlyn Powers ’26 (Illustration) and Natalie Spetell ’27 (Product Design), both of whom have minors in Communication Design, received Honorable Mentions.
2026 First-Year Exhibition showcases professional growth
An annual tradition at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design from late March through September, the juried First-Year Experience Exhibition celebrates students’ yearlong personal and professional growth.
Meet Carmen Briones and 2026 Senior Exhibition Project Echo
Carmen Briones ‘26 (Product Design) is a President’s (Honor) List student from Cambria, Wis., president of the MIAD IDSA student chapter and an intern at SI Jacobson Manufacturing. Briones designed a device called “Echo” that removes ovarian cysts without surgery.