MIAD president interviewed on higher education podcast

Jeffrey Morin

Plexuss, a student opportunity network company in the higher education community, interviewed Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) President Jeffrey Morin for their Plexuss Presidential Podcast series.

Addressing questions ranging from mentors to career prospects to equity, inclusion, visibility and belonging, President Morin speaks passionately about MIAD and the college’s students. “The best advice I ever got [was] ‘do this until it feels more like it’s about you instead of the student. Once it feels more about you than the student, you really need to stop.’” In his ninth year as MIAD’s president, Morin says, “I took that to heart when I first came to MIAD. There was real work to do and people in the community needed to see that the president was doing that work.” This semester, President Morin is connecting with students by teaching a sophomore-level printmaking class.

President Morin also emphasizes the individualized experiences MIAD provides its students. “We’re in a unique situation here because we have a quarter million square feet under one roof,” he explains in the podcast. “The campus tour starts and ends in the same building.” On the college’s commitment to students, Morin continues, “one of the things that surprises visitors the most is that we dedicate the lion’s share of our square footage to individual student work spaces … it’s one of the shining examples of what makes a MIAD education unique.”

As an administrator, President Morin is committed to student success. “At MIAD, we are simple and direct at times,” he says. “What defines student success for me is happiness.” He highlights the problem-solving and creative-thinking skills that the MIAD curriculum encourages. “One of the things we pride ourselves on is the ideation or development process,” he says. “The folks we are educating will enter the job market, and as the market evolves, they will evolve with the market. And in the most successful cases, they will lead the market.”

Wrapping up the podcast, President Morin concludes with many of the college’s successes. “I’m proud of the MIAD community, because it’s the MIAD community that has taken us to wherever I can highlight. How we got through COVID, I’m proud of that. I’m proud of our successful comprehensive campaign that again, shines a light on the great work the MIAD community is doing,” he says. “Coming out of the pandemic, our community is definitely feeling that they’ve been working hard. We will never be able to compensate them enough for that hard work. That’s a lot to be thankful for.”

Listen to the full podcast (Episode #161) and learn more about MIAD!