Boston, MA – Recently Massachusetts College of Art and Design publicly announced a comprehensive campaign that will transform its campus on Huntington Avenue in Boston, increase scholarship funding, and expand its public programming. The comprehensive campaign, financed through a combination of public and private funds, includes capital projects, endowment and program support, and increased annual funding.
The announcement took place in conjunction with the groundbreaking ceremony for the college’s new residence hall, one of four capital projects scheduled over the next several years. The Massachusetts State College Building Authority is the project manager for the new residence hall, ADD Inc is the project architect, and Suffolk Construction Company, Inc. is the construction manager. Other projects include a design and new media center, campus center, and renovated galleries. All projects will highlight MassArt’s continued innovation in architecture and “green” building as it relates to campus development. Eco-friendly design elements will be featured in all construction, and all projects are being designed to achieve at least LEED Silver certification. More than 1600 jobs will be generated due to the construction projects funded by the campaign.
“This campaign will create a more vibrant and eco-friendly campus, increase our funding for scholarships and research, allow for greater interdisciplinary collaboration inside and outside the walls of MassArt, and further our position as a leader in art and design,” said Kay Sloan, president of MassArt. “Our expansion and development will also stimulate the local economy through job creation and highlight the breadth of the college’s partnerships within the community and the city of Boston.”
The campaign will nearly double MassArt’s endowment, increase financial assistance for students, support an increase in research and faculty fellowships, and spark more creative collaborations with area businesses and non-profits that will provide MassArt students new opportunities to showcase their talents and gain experience working on real-world projects. So far, the college has reached 63% of the $140 million goal.
“Meaningful transformation requires vision, commitment, and creativity—and that’s what we have with this campaign,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who attended the groundbreaking ceremony. “Our city, our students, and our economy will truly benefit from MassArt’s bold plans.”
The campaign will also increase the MassArt Annual Fund, which provides scholarships and other financial aid to students in need and supports a variety of academic programs and resources. Increasing the fund supports MassArt’s mission of offering an accessible, exceptional art and design education to a diverse group of students.
The new campus center—a collaborative project with the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS)—is scheduled to open this fall. The new residence hall will open in fall 2012 with a health center that will be shared by MassArt, MCPHS, and Wentworth Institute of Technology. The college expects to achieve its campaign goal of $140 million by summer 2012.