2023 – 2024 Friends & Donors Report
Your support of our students enables them to change their lives, and ours.
Advancing Creativity for Positive Change:
A Message From MIAD’s President
The most important highlight to share about 2023-24 is the impact of your generosity on the lives of MIAD students, on the growth of our programs and on the community we serve.
Your support strengthens our resolve to provide easier access to a MIAD education to increasing numbers of students, to introduce diverse high school students to rewarding careers in design through free yearlong programming and to maintain the recognition of our academic excellence.
Thank you for joining us as we advance creativity for positive change and build a strong and bright community.
Jeffrey Morin, MIAD President
“As a Nike intern, I had the opportunity to create a tool to help bridge gaps of information and understanding in the creation and development of women’s apparel, uniting designers, material developers and other functions. [T]his tool is currently being implemented to be used and touched by hundreds of Nike business partners.
The magic of giving is what made [my Nike career] possible. My access to MIAD, my professors and my peers, is why this happened. Thank you.”
Emma May Travitz ’24 (Product Design)
Material Developer, Innovation Concept Studio Team, Nike
Diverse gallery exhibitions celebrated personal narratives, cultural impact
MIAD’s Brooks Stevens Gallery, Frederick Layton Gallery, 160 Gallery, MIAD Gallery at The Ave and numerous pop-up spaces celebrated the importance of personal narrative and cultural impact in 2023-24. From graduating students to visiting makers to iconic designers, MIAD’s galleries offered our communities a rich look into the lives and practices of significant creatives.
“Lois Ehlert: A Creative Life” opened – the most comprehensive exhibition of the iconic children’s book illustrator, designer and Layton alum (’57). →
“Growing Resistance: Untold Stories of Milwaukee’s Community Guardians” exhibited everyday voices of resistance and resilience around environmental injustice from some of Milwaukee’s most historically underrepresented neighborhoods and in a vast variety of artistic forms. →
British-West-Indian collagist, writer, letterpress printer and designer Rick Griffith presented “Changing Histories” as part of the exhibition “Old Type, New Ways; Work from the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum.” →
“Forgotten Nation,” the Senior Exhibition project of Tanesha Spencer ’24 (Communication Design), represented the diverse talents and societal dedication of MIAD’s largest graduating class. →
MIAD Gallery at The Ave celebrated its one-year anniversary with “Culture Starters: Emerging from the Pandemic.” →
Ruth Arts + MIAD Artists Grants propelled individual practices forward
MIAD awarded Ruth Arts + MIAD Artist Grants to 10 faculty and staff to develop artwork – the result of a Legacy grant award from The Ruth Foundation for the Arts to pioneer its Wisconsin Artist Grant program.
Pictured: Matthew Lee, “The Historia,” detail. 2023 Ruth Arts Grant Recipient.
MIAD Youth Programs expanded, setting records & bolstering creative pipeline
Our work in service to the community
In just 2 years, MIAD’s yearlong Design Internship Program expanded exponentially to 45 high-school interns and 8 professional partners; 80% of the students were BIPOC. In 2024, a record 246 high school students attended MIAD’s Summer Pre-College Program; 46% were students of color.
MIAD by the numbers. 885 students enrolled. 100% of students receive financial aid, including scholarships. 35% of students self-identify as students of color. 63% of first-year students from Wisconsin are the first in their family to attend college. 37% of students are Pell-eligible (lowest income).
Your Generosity Made Our Achievements Possible.
The academic year 2023-24 was one of incredible achievements for MIAD. We launched our distinctive Fashion Design major; exponentially expanded our yearlong Design Internship Program for underrepresented high school students; had record attendance in our Pre-College Program; raised a record $650,000+ for student scholarships at Creative Fusion; and continued our recognition as top-ranked programs in Wisconsin that are among the best in the Midwest.
We gratefully honor you. Thank you for making our shared creative future possible.
Tracy Milkowski, Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Donor gifts significantly increase access to MIAD’s creative, innovative education.
In 2023-24, MIAD’s 514 donors represented 23 U.S. states.
- Wisconsin Donors 87%
- Individual Donors 79%
- Corporate Donors 13%
- Foundation & Organization Donors 8%
“The impact of getting a scholarship to MIAD was really–it was pretty life-changing. I never expected to get to attend an art school in general, let alone one that would feel like I was worth investing in.”
Geornica Daniels ’23
New Studio Practice: Fine Arts
Fashion and Apparel Design debuted
The Fashion and Apparel Design major debuted, reflecting MIAD’s values and students: it is inclusive of gender, size, accessibility, sustainability and trends. Visiting Instructor and curriculum author Sarah Eichhorn was named first full-time professor in February.
Learn More Students Declare FAD
Celebrating Latine heritage through creativity
First Latine Student Exhibition celebrated MIAD’s Latine students during Hispanic Heritage Month. MIAD is a designated Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).
Pictured: Ari Gutierrez, “Porque tú eres Mexicana,” 2023.
Events
2024 Creative Fusion, co-chaired by Deanna & Eric Tillisch and Christine & Tom Irgens, raised a record $650,000+ for student scholarships.
Events
More than 175 alumni attended the first-ever Alumni Reunion in October 2023 to kick off and celebrate MIAD’s 50th anniversary.
Visionary
Pao Houa Her presented “Freshly Cut Plastic Flowers: The Hmong-American Dream” as part of the November 2023 MIAD Creativity Series.
Events
MIAD Holiday Sale showcased 120+ student and alumni creatives, and raised a record $55,000 in support of participants and scholarships.
Visionary
Phoenix S. Brown, Fine Art ’19, received the Emerging Artist Award as part of the Wisconsin Visual Art Achievement Awards (WVAAA).
Visionary
The Scholarship Luncheon bestowed Passion Awards to Susan & Bob Mikulay and The Herzfeld Foundation for decades of leadership and philanthropy.
Visionary
Zachary Scharrer, Product Design ’24, designed bespoke, adaptive formalwear for users with disabilities for his senior exhibition project.
News
In 2023, MIAD’s Communication Design, Animation & Illustration programs received top rankings in Wisconsin & Midwest by Animation Career Review.