Photo Spotlights

Nabil Nasr, associate provost, founding director of Golisano Institute for Sustainability, and founding CEO of the REMADE Institute, leads members of the British Consulate General and RIT Government and Community Relations on a tour to highlight innovation at RIT. From left to right: Ben Brierley, British Consulate Head of Policy and State Government Relations; Emma Wade-Smith, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for North America and His Majesty’s Consul General New York; Eleanor Boyer, Technology Sector Director; and Garrett Dunlap, Head of Science and Innovation. The delegation spent Monday touring areas around Rochester that highlight the region’s expertise in the semiconductor, cybersecurity, and renewable energy industries.

The College of Art and Design’s School of Art invited local high school students to campus this month for a Pre-College Portfolio Preparation Workshop. The annual workshop, held July 10-21, functions as a visual arts class designed to prepare the portfolios of rising high school juniors and seniors for admission to college art programs. Over the course of two weeks, students were guided by RIT faculty members and produced high-level additions for their portfolios. This year, the workshop was offered both in-person and virtually so students from across the country could benefit.

Students from eighth to 12th grade learned about online safety, cybersecurity and defense, and cyber ethics during the GenCyber camp, held July 10-14 as part of RIT’s K-12 University Center’s Camp Tiger. The camp typically draws between 100 to 200 applicants and accepts 40 students, according to Daniel Krutz, RIT assistant professor of software engineering, who runs the program. Every year, five to 10 students from the camp will enroll at RIT. “If campers walk away thinking, ‘Cybersecurity—or STEM—is cool, and I want to learn more about it’—then I count that as a success,” Krutz said. Robert St Jacques and Bruce Herring, both RIT lecturers of software engineering, are co-teaching the GenCyber camp.

Nearly 200 RIT students on co-op in the Rochester area celebrated together July 8 at Innovative Field for RIT Co-op Night at the Rochester Red Wings. The group of students and staff, which also included RIT President David Munson and Neeraj Buch, dean of undergraduate education and associate provost for student success, enjoyed the game, food, a performance by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and a fireworks display. The event was sponsored by RIT’s Career Services and Cooperative Education.

College of Science Dean André Hudson addresses the crowd that gathered for the 40th anniversary celebration of the Munsell Color Science Lab on June 15. RIT alumni, current and former students, faculty, staff, and supporters and friends of the lab were invited to honor its history and accomplishments. Other presenters included Michael Murdoch, lab director; former lab director Mark Fairchild; and others.

RIT held its annual Retiree Luncheon June 7 in the Gordon Field House and Activities Center. More than 500 university retirees and guests attended the event, which featured lunch, presentations, and opportunities to connect with colleagues.

The RIT campus was filled with smiles last weekend during the university’s 138th commencement. RIT is celebrating more than 4,800 graduates this year, including those attending global campuses in China, Croatia, Dubai, and Kosovo.

Five honorary degrees were conferred during the commencement ceremony on May 12. Among those recognized was Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer and a 1988 graduate of RIT’s Saunders College of Business, who received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in recognition of her distinguished career in public service and leadership in finance. Pictured, from left to right, are RIT President David Munson, RIT Provost Ellen Granberg, Ma, RIT Board of Trustees Chairman Jeff Harris, and RIT Trustee Kevin Surace.

Graduating students prepared for commencement ceremonies by decorating their mortarboards, posing for pictures with friends, and having a toast to the future during the Last Bash event Wednesday in the Gene Polisseni Center.

On May 6, students, faculty, and staff celebrated Black Graduation, a student-driven event to recognize and celebrate the success and hard work of Black students at RIT.

The College Activities Board held GradPalooza on Friday, an end-of-of-the-year festival featuring mechanical bull riding, axe throwing, music, cornhole, caricatures, and more, at Global Village. RIT’s commencement will be this Friday and Saturday. More than 4,800 people, including students at RIT’s global campuses, are on track to graduate this year.

On Monday, students about to graduate celebrated during Rainbow Graduation, a ceremony for LGBTQIA+ students and allies. Students, left to right, are Sinclaire Ogof, Alexis Gordon, David Prichett, Aidan Grant, and Jordan Carroll.