News

Recognizing faculty and staff who excel at the university’s experiential, interdisciplinary, and collective approach to education makes the Celebration of Teaching and Scholarship a highlight of the academic year.

For many scholars of history, having conversations with their chosen figure of study is nothing but a dream. For assistant professor Ellen Tani, that dream became a reality.

The annual awards are presented to staff members who exemplify outstanding service and dedication to the university and who exhibit a high degree of personal ethics and integrity, while demonstrating a commitment to student success.

A serial entrepreneur, Brandon Hudson was RIT’s first Gap Year fellow in 2018. Before that, Hudson had a knack for business, selling wristbands for the then-new Apple Watch.

Janessa Steenberg initially created the original recipe for herself to bridge a culinary gap between her vegan diet and the Italian-Maltese cuisine from her Toronto childhood and her grandmother’s kitchen.

Independent game developer Rami Ismail hired former Gap Year fellow Sam Magnolia and their cofounders at Aesthetician Labs — Noah Magnolia and Aidan Markham — to lead the development and production team for Australia Did It.

Hridiza Roy followed a summer internship at Disney Studios, with a fall position in the Gap Year Entrepreneurial Fellowship. The RIT program gave her a block of time and a stipend to advance her passion project—Painterly, an animation software tool.

RIT has launched a new decade-long strategic framework that will guide the university’s priorities, investments, inspiration, and aspirations through 2035.

RIT’s Pre-Health Advising Program helps students gain hands-on experience through a partnership with the Rochester Regional Health System.

Distinguished Alumni Awards are presented annually by each of RIT’s nine colleges, the Graduate School, and the School of Individualized Study to alumni who have performed at the highest levels of their profession or who have contributed to the advancement and leadership of civic, philanthropic, or service organizations.

As 2025 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on a year filled with milestones, innovation, and inspiring stories from across the RIT community. 

RIT’s new Research Building officially opened its doors Dec. 2, and inside, faculty and students are gearing up to usher in a new era of discovery on campus.