News

A program called “momentum” designed for students at RIT to develop their leadership skills while actively working to address community challenges has gained momentum, in part, due to a $250,000 donation to expand the program next semester.

"Craft in America," a documentary series on handmade objects and the artists who make them, will feature furniture maker Wendy Maruyama '80 MFA (woodworking and furniture design). The episode is scheduled to air at 10 p.m. Dec. 27 on WXXI-TV.

RIT will use a substantial gift of real estate in Penfield to expand the university’s research and educational offerings in ecology, agriculture, sustainability and other fields. Amy Leenhouts Tait and Robert C. Tait have gifted to the university their 177-acre property, which will be dedicated as the Tait Preserve of RIT.

Dwell features Patricia Moore ’74 (industrial design), an internationally renowned designer, gerontologist, and leading authority on consumer lifespan behaviors

The Rochester Beacon reports that RIT ranks No. 1 in the Rochester area in  “A First Try at ROI: Ranking 4,500 Colleges," a  new report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

Tim Webber ’97 (civil engineering technology) helped design one of the largest YMCA facilities in the country: the Schottland Family YMCA, in Pittsford, N.Y. Webber is vice president and director of civil engineering at LaBella Associates, an international architecture, engineering, environmental, and planning firm in Rochester.

After years of working in commercial photography, Rob Goldman ’84 (professional photography) decided he needed to change his routine and focus on something new. Goldman quit commercial photography and embarked on several independent projects that focused on the reality, struggles, and beauty of life.

Patricia Moore ’74 (industrial design), an internationally renowned designer, gerontologist, and leading authority on consumer lifespan behaviors, received the prestigious Cooper Hewitt National Design Award in New York City in October.

Elliot Benitez ’07 (marketing) was eating dinner with his mother when he noticed that she kept getting up to warm tortillas over the stove. Benitez thought there had to be a better way. He searched Google and Amazon for a tortilla toaster and found nothing. Today, that same search points people toward the Nuni Toaster, patented by Benitez.

Fashionable boutique clothing usually comes with large price tags. However, at Shop Peppermint and Salty, two boutiques in Rochester owned by Tanvi Asher ’10 MFA (industrial design), customers can get a high-end experience at an accessible cost.

Mike Battle ’02 (film and animation) has been watching The Simpsons for almost 30 years. For about half of that time, he has had a behind-the-scenes view of new episodes.

When Joey Zeledón ’06 (industrial design) contributes to a new product design, he aims to design for a consumer’s feelings rather than solely focusing on aesthetics and functionality.