President’s News

RIT’s past and present converged as four presidents—spanning more than three decades of leadership—reflected on the university’s evolution and how they have helped position it for the future.

WXXI News features comments from Erica Haskell, director of RIT’s School of Performing Arts, and RIT President Bill Sanders about the opening of the university’s new performing arts center and its role in supporting interdisciplinary collaboration and student creativity.

The 747-seat, 50,000-square-foot building officially opened this morning. The center will provide a state-of-the-art venue for theater, musical theater, music, and dance for both RIT students and community groups.

The president will field questions at WITR-FM (89.7) for the final time this academic year at 1 p.m., Thursday, April 9.

The 747-seat venue is the first major theater project in the Rochester region in decades. It will provide a state-of-the-art performance hall, which will be used by students as well as community groups to hold concerts, talks, and other events.

In the RIT President’s letter from the spring 2026 RIT University Magazine, Bill Sanders introduced RIT’s Strategic Framework for the next decade.

Spectrum News announces that former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison will serve as commencement speaker and receive an honorary doctorate at RIT’s 2026 academic convocation. RIT President Bill Sanders is quoted. 

In addition to presenting the keynote address to graduates on May 8, Mae Jemison will also receive an Honorary Doctor of Science degree.

Rochester Business Journal speaks to RIT President Bill Sanders about the university’s proposed 2035 Strategic Framework, outlining priorities such as student success, expanded research, and global impact.

Amelia Hunkele, now in her second year as a new media design major, is this year’s winning artist for the Imagine RIT poster, which depicts a Rube Goldberg machine.

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

Rochester Business Journal speaks to RIT President Bill Sanders about his perspective on the issues shaping higher education in the year ahead.