Alumni

Join a dynamic network of over 20,000 MassArt alumni and build lifelong connections that support your personal and professional growth.

Wherever your journey takes you after MassArt, we’re here to help you apply your creativity and skills to your career. Through networking events, mentorship, and collaborative opportunities, you’ll find the support you need to thrive.

Whether you’re a recent graduate or a longtime alum, our Alumni Relations team and global community are here to celebrate your achievements and keep you connected.

Register with the Alumni Community or update your contact information to receive event invitations, unlock exclusive networking opportunities, and stay up to date on all things MassArt.

Alumni Events

2025 MassArt Alumni Haystack Retreat

Thursday, October 2, 2025 / 8:00am, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts

MassArt Alumni Haystack Retreat Please join us for the 20th year of the MassArt Alumni Retreat to Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, taking place September 30 - October 4, 2025. Enjoy four unforgettable days of art-making and reconnecting with fellow alumni at a stunning coastal location on Deer Isle, Maine. We’ll share experiences, skills, and memories, letting our creativity flourish...

Creative Exchange Conference and Alumni and Friends Meetup!

Wednesday, October 8, 2025 / 9:00am to 5:00pm, Cotuit Center for the Arts

MassArt is proud to partner with the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod for this year’s Creative Exchange Conference, a full-day gathering of artists, creatives, and cultural leaders from across the region. Join us on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at the Cotuit Center for the Arts for an unforgettable day of connection, collaboration, and creativity. In recognition of our partnership with the Arts Foundation of...

Classes of 2020 & 2021 Reunion

Friday, October 24, 2025 / 6:30pm to 8:30pm, MassArt Art Museum

We're thrilled to invite the Classes of 2020 & 2021 back to campus for a Reunion on Friday, October 24, 2025, at 6:30 PM, at the MassArt Art Museum (MAAM). Enjoy refreshments, catch up with friends and faculty, share where your path has taken you, and hear from President Mary K. Grant about the exciting things happening at the College...

The MassArt community is making its mark on the creative economy. Read the latest alumni stories.

Be Ready for Your Miracle: The Lasting Impact of MassArt Alumna Ekua Holmes

Illustrator and MassArt alumna Ekua Holmes, BFA ‘77 shares how her art is rooted in love, memory, and community.

Creating Your Own Path: MassArt Alum Goes from Compass Program to Design Industry Art and Brand Director

From Fashion Design 101 to becoming a First-Generation college graduate, Joseph Soto, BFA '16 Graphic Design, reflects on his academic and personal journey.

Painting Alumnus Charts a Career for the Stars

MassArt alumnus Sean Walker, BFA ’96, has turned his passion for art and the night sky into a career that now includes an asteroid named in his honor.

From Boston to Langa, South Africa: MassArt Students Team Up with MIT to Rethink Emergency Access

MassArt students develop community-designed emergency transport in Langa, South Africa—partnering with locals to improve healthcare access.

Pushing Visual Boundaries as an Illustrator

MassArt alumna Abby Ouellette ’19 explores girlhood, nostalgia, and editorial illustration as a bold, boundary-pushing freelance illustrator.

From MassArt to Netflix: A Q&A with Alumnus Dave Schlafman

Studio for Interrelated Media Alumnus, Dave Schlafman, talks about his MassArt experience and the lessons he’s learned in the design industry.

From South Boston to the Silver Screen: The Art of Filmmaking

Award-winning Cinematographer and MassArt Alumnus, Terrence Hayes, talks about filmmaking as a collaborative art form.

MassArt’s Winning Design Kicks Off FIFA World Cup 26™ Boston

MassArt Illustration students and faculty member and alumnus John Rego’s design selected for the Official FIFA World Cup 26™ Boston Poster.

MassArt Alumni and Friends Gather for Art-Filled Winter Getaway in the Berkshires

MassArt alumni and friends gathered in the Berkshires for an inspiring weekend of art, connection, and discussions on creativity.

Having a Multi-Faceted Design Career: From MassArt to MTV to Disney

From designing for MTV to leading creative at Disney, Gennifer Leong Alvarado’s journey proves the power of fearless creativity.

Julian Phillips on Historic Architecture and the Power of Interdisciplinary Learning

Discover how Julian Phillips ’20 M.Arch uses his MassArt education in historic preservation, restoring iconic landmarks and uncovering untold architectural stories.

Combining Passion and Purpose: Using Art to Heal

At MassArt, Sherwin Long unlocked his ‘inner spirit warrior,’ finding strength and purpose in his creative journey.

Ceramicist & Alum Sam Kim Creates One-of-a-Kind Awards for MassArt’s 2024 Common Good Award Honorees

This year's MassArt Common Good Awards Honorees will receive custom, inscribed ceramic awards by Sam Kim, a MassArt alum transforming slipcasting into unique artistry.

Toni Elka (BFA Painting ’86), Founder of Future Chefs

Elka has made a profound impact on youth development through culinary arts in Boston.

Yinette Guzman (’08 BFA Architecture), Public Art Advocate and Placemaking Designer

Guzman is celebrated for her leadership in curating the Punto Urban Art Museum (PUAM) in Salem, MA.

May Chau (’07 BFA Art Education), Recipient of Frances Euphemia Thompson Award for Excellence in Teaching

Chau, Visual Arts Supervisor for Somerville Public Schools, is honored for her commitment to cultivating a collaborative arts education environment.

MassArt graduate and professional artist Nicole Chesney reflects on the power and magic of the MassArt Auction

Nicole Chesney has been an active participant in the MassArt Auction since 1997– since her first print in the silent auction her senior year, she has donated 20 artworks in support of current and future MassArt students.

MassArt Alum Alex Small-Butera Wins Emmy for Animation

Alex Small-Butera sat down for an interview to explain about how he and Lindsay got from here to there, rising in their careers to receive this mark of achievement from Hollywood on their ability as animators, as artists.

Artist, alum, and instructor Clint Baclawski on how MassArt’s creative community invites you to change your perspective

MassArt instructor and director of ‘The Lab,’ Clint Baclawski is an accomplished artist who has won numerous awards, exhibited in the U.S. and abroad, and attended residencies in Venice, Italy, and Wassaic, NY.

The Art of Curating an Exhibition

At MassArt, MFA students and alumni uncover their unique curatorial styles through hands-on experiences and courses like Curatorial Practice. Catherine LeComte Lecce’s exhibition, Matrescence, explored the profound and often overlooked transformations of motherhood.

Overcoming Eurocentrism

Lyssa Palu-Ay (MFA ’01), Dean of JET (Justice, Equity, and Transformation), works to move beyond institutional practices that can unintentionally marginalize BIPOC communities.

Marc Holland and the transformative power of a MassArt education

Marc Holland (BFA ’99), director of MassArt’s Studio Foundation Program, says that as a result of a professor’s guidance, he switched gears — and uses that experience to keep front of mind that the best teaching lets students know they can impact the world in unexpected ways.

Cicely Carew on transforming one’s creative passion into a fulfilling career — and maybe sparking a bit of wonder along the way.

In taking museum-worthy work to public spaces, Cicely Carew ('05 BFA) reminds MassArt students to lead with their hearts.

Cedric Douglas’s Majestic MassArt Journey

Cedric Douglas (’11 BFA), the first person in his family to attend college, celebrates Black Excellence with a new mural on MAAM’s facade.

Filmmaker, photographer, and community artist and educator Mel Tiang on resourcefulness, doing it all, and embracing the winding road.

Mel Taing (BFA ’16) returns to her MassArt roots by making a film about a new library in Boston’s Chinatown, which hasn’t had a permanent branch since 1956.

Artist, MassArt trustee, and innovation consultant Kelly Sherman wields her creativity and curiosity to find the next big idea in organizational strategy.

Kelly Sherman (’02 BFA), says MassArt schooled her not just in creativity but also in problem solving, discipline, and strategy.

Nonprofit executive Julie Wake envisions a world where artists have a seat – and a role to play – at every table.

Julie Wake (’07 BFA) never expected to go to college after having been in the workforce for several years. Her MassArt education gave her an opportunity to advocate for artists in a big way.

2023-2024 Student Government Association President Heily Rivas shares how creativity, exploration, (and fabric scraps!) can empower students to change the world

How recent alumna and past president of the SGA Heily Rivas (’24 BFA), makes creating environmentally-friendly clothing a community effort.