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The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented annually as part of the MassArt Common Good Awards ceremony.

The Massachusetts College of Art and Design Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes the outstanding accomplishments, service, and impact our alumni have made in their professional practice and in their communities. 

The award is an honor of high distinction presented annually to an individual who embodies MassArt’s most cherished values and meets certain criteria. 

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Alumni Award Criteria

MassArt Distinguished Alumni will consistently demonstrate at least one of the criteria listed below:

Mastery

Nominee has developed a mature body of work, achieved an outstanding level of recognition during a significant career in the arts, or has significantly influenced contemporary practice through their creative accomplishments

MassArt Spirit

Embodies the character of MassArt

Mission and Values

Sustains advocacy for the mission and values of the college, either through actions or philanthropic support

Innovation

Advances the potential, pushes the boundaries of expectation, or creates new ways of thinking in their field of practice

Creative Economy

Nominee has made significant contributions to the creative economy either through their work or through professional-to-student involvement

Citizenship and Community

Engages in the well-being of society or has made a significant commitment to community service through the arts. Fosters community-building, diversity, good citizenship, inclusiveness, sustainability, or social justice

Young Alumni Achiever (Emerging Alumni Achiever)

Outstanding achievement by a MassArt alum in the first 10 years post-graduation

2021 

2018

  • Dana Chandler ’67 BFA Teacher Education
  • John Crowe ’71 BFA Art Education
  • Elizabeth Subrin ’90 BFA Film/Video 

2017

  • Karen Frostig ’70 BFA Painting
  • John Raimondi ’73 BFA Sculpture
  • Mike Smith ’79 BFA Photography

2016

  • Brian Curran ’79 BFA History of Art & Studio for Interrelated Media 
  • Paul Hatgil ’50 BFA Art Education
  • Kathleen Marsh ’91 MS Art Education 
  • Mimi Smith ’63 BFA Painting

2015

  • Lou Genatossio ’81 BFA Industrial Design
  • The Graphic Workshop artists’ collective ’70 BFA Graphic Design (Chris Mesearch ’70 accepted on behalf of the collective) 
  • Sheila Pepe ’83 BFA Ceramics
  • Luther Price ’87 BFA Sculpture & Media/Performing Arts

2014

  • Harris Barron ’54 BFA Ceramics
  • Ekua Holmes ’77 Photography
  • Karen Lukas ’76 BFA Fibers

2013

  • Philip Solomon ’80 MFA Film/Video
  • Aimee Good ’95 Sculpture

2012

  • Sondra Grace ’81 BFA Fashion Design
  • Carol Mulcahy Thurlow ’58 BFA Graphic Design
  • Lewis Andrew Mutty ’03 BFA Painting
  • Richard Streitmatter-Tran ’03 BFA SIM

2011

  • Frances C. Andahazy ’83 BFA Art Education
  • Tammy Dayton ’98 BFA Graphic Design
  • Blane De St. Croix ’79 Sculpture
  • Heidi Kayser ’05 BFA SIM
  • Maya Luz ’09 BFA Fashion Design
  • Jim Warner ’84 BFA Industrial Design

2010

  • Rick & Laura Brown ’93 BFA Sculpture
  • Beverly Hallam ’45 BFA Art Education 
  • Dave Schlafman ’04 BFA SIM & Animation
  • Tucker Stilley ’86 BFA SIM
  • Sandy Weisman ’96 MSAE

2009

  • Ambreen Butt ’97 MFA 2D 
  • Friends of Kirsten Malone ’03 BFA Photography 
  • Savvas Spyridopoulos ’02 BFA Glass
  • Robert Ferrandini ’72 Painting

2008

  • Harmonix Music Systems Inc. – Alex Rigopulos (CEO), Eran Egozy (CTO), and John Randall ’94 BFA Open Major (Sr. Creative Director)
  • David Hilliard ’92 BFA Photography
  • Dawn Lane ’80 BFA Graphic Design
  • The Godine Family

2007 – Arne Glimcher ’60 BFA Painting

2006 – Christian Marclay ’80 BFA Studio for Interrelated Media

2004 – Brian Collins ’82 BFA Graphic Design

2003 – Albert Petitto ’44 BFA Art Education 

2001 – Ellen Rothenberg ’78 MFA Graduate Media & Performing Arts

2000

  • Robert Purcell ’77 BFA Industrial Design
  • Beverly Hallam ’45 BFA Art Education 

1999 – Paul Goodnight ’75 BFA Painting

1998 – Francis and Priscilla Merritt ’34 BFA Fashion Design

1997 – May Stevens ’46 BFA Painting

1996 – Jackie Winsor ’65 BFA Painting & Illustration 

1995 – Nancy Haigh ’68 BFA Ceramics

1994 – William Daley ’50 BFA Art Education 

1993 – David Rose ’31 BFA Painting & ’34 MSAE 

1992 – Jean Day Zallinger ’39 BFA Drawing & Painting

1991 – Robert Cumming ’65 BFA Painting

1990

  • Americo DiFranza ’42 BFA Drawing & Painting 
  • L. Garth Huxtable ’33 BFA Industrial Design

1989 – William Hannon ’56 BFA Industrial Design

1988 – William Gunn ’45 BFA Drawing & Painting 

1987 – William Wegman ’65 BFA Painting

1986

  • John McNamara ’71 BFA Painting 
  • Paul Marks ’75 BFA Art Education

1985 – Marilyn Pappas ’52 BFA Art Education

1983 – Muriel Cooper ’48 BFA Art Education

1979 – Sylvia Feinburg ’79 BFA Art Education

FAQ's

Nominations are welcomed from MassArt alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends of the college. You may nominate more than one person, but please submit a separate nomination form for each individual.

MassArt alumni can be nominated individually or as key members of a collective or organization.

Honoree is selected by a committee of alumni, faculty, and staff, from nominations made by the MassArt community and friends of the college.

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