College of Art and Design News
Graphic Design BFA

WHAM-TV speaks with RIT alumnus Joe Burke '89 (graphic design) following his successful appearance on ABC’s Shark Tank, pitching his product, Ollyball, to investors and landing a $250,000 investment with Shark Lori Greiner.

Rochester Institute of Technology alumnus Joe Burke ’89 (graphic design) turned his innovative idea into reality by accepting an offer on the hit TV show Shark Tank.

Lee Green's design of the beloved "Flower City/Flour City" logo is the centerpiece of a new documentary celebrating the impact of Rochester's 50-year-old visual mark. Free, public screenings of the film are scheduled into the fall.

Twenty-three students from RIT's graphic design and visual communication design programs were recognized in the 2026 Graphis New Talent Awards, a juried showcase of emerging creatives around the world. A number of the honored projects from RIT designers will also be featured in the awards' companion publication. 

When the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute needed an animated short film explaining the climate impacts of food waste, they utilized the talent inside a budding student-run design studio within the College of Art and Design.

Daniel Worden, who teaches comics art and documentary media in the College of Art and Design, is the recipient of an Eisenhart Award for Outstanding Teaching. He is one of many faculty and staff members being recognized this year.

Six students from RIT's graphic design and new media design programs were recognized at the local American Advertising Awards, an event that recognizes excellence in advertising campaigns and the highest creative standards in the industry.

Georg Seifert (from Germany) and Rainer Erich Scheichelbauer (Austria), cited for their innovative work with game-changing font editing software Glyphs, will accept RIT's prestigious Goudy Award in April. The honor has long celebrated outstanding practitioners in type design and related fields.

Steve Matteson's two-year appointment as as the Melbert B. Cary Professor in RIT’s School of Design marks a return to where his affinity for letterforms all started. Since graduating from RIT, he went on to become a typeface trailblazer, responsible for creating recognizable fonts and graphic language for huge brands.

As a design leader in the tech sector, Jason Blythe has built a career anticipating and enhancing the way in which people use technology to search for information, shop online, and stream sports and entertainment.

Ricky Figueora taking over as the new director of RIT's School of Film and Animation headlines exciting promotions and additions to the College of Art and Design faculty.

The Finger Lakes Virtual Museum app is a digital storytelling platform that combines historical content with technology to create immersive visitor experiences.