Impact Stories

When Lynne Damianos AAS ’79, BS ’81 was at RIT, there was no architectural photography major. However, from early on in her studies, she knew that’s what she wanted to do.

As a retailing major, Susan O’Rourke BS ’66, had no idea how connected she’d be to RIT history. She spent her RIT college years on the downtown campus, and got a preview of what was to come for the university, a time that came full circle 50 years later.

Paul Senior MBA ‘72 has been a steadfast supporter of his alma mater for over five decades. His unwavering dedication to giving back to RIT is a testament to the transformative power of education and the lasting impact it can have on an individual's life.

Alumna Krystle Jones-Ellis BS ’09 MS ’15, College of Liberal Arts, is a Sentinel Society founding member.

Did you know that students applying to RIT rate the quality of the facilities equal in importance to preparation for careers? That’s why continued support of outstanding campus facilities is so important.

The catalog from RIT came to her in the mail, and at the time she didn't know anything about RIT. She only remembers opening the catalog and saying, "Ah, this is the school I want!"

Although Beverly Jones Markus spent a small portion of her life in Rochester, she has never forgotten her time as a faculty member at RIT. It was an unexpected career transition for her in the 1970s, but the impact it has had on her life has lasted to this day.

Stephen Nosek MBA ‘78 almost didn’t attend RIT, but RIT’s willingness to work with him by providing some necessary accommodations, enabled Steve to choose RIT over other graduate school options.

Gifts that support student innovation projects and multidisciplinary design have helped make a group of women into a team of engineers!

Like many prospective RIT students, Ricardo Carrion BS ’21 was anxious to hear if he had been admitted to the university. He was not prepared for the surprise that awaited him in his acceptance letter—a full scholarship.

Jorge “Tony” Mendoza BS ’18 graduated with both a bachelor's and master’s degree, but instead of going immediately into the workforce, he spent his first summer post-graduation cycling from Long Beach, California to Washington, D.C. in an effort to raise funds and awareness for people with disabilities.

Diamond Guy BS ’21 has dreamed of becoming a pediatric dermatologist from a young age, so becoming a Destler/Johnson Rochester City Scholar (RCS), which covered her full tuition at RIT, helped her achieve her goal.