Third generation starts classes at RIT

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Ken Huth

From left to right: Lee Austin ’61 (electrical engineering), Rosemary Austin, MacKenzie Woodhouse, a first-year electrical engineering student, Elizabeth Austin ’89 (computer science) and Abigail Austin, a first-year media arts and technology student, pose during new student orientation week.

For first-year students and cousins MacKenzie Woodhouse and Abigail Austin, RIT is a family tradition. The tradition began with their grandfather, Lee Austin ’61 (electrical engineering), and continued with his son, Michael Austin ’89 (computer science), who married Elizabeth Austin ’89 (computer science). Their daughter, Abigail, started this fall in media arts and technology, and her cousin, MacKenzie, enrolled this fall at RIT in electrical engineering.

Abigail, who grew up in Pittsford, N.Y., said she picked RIT because she wanted to stay close to home and she liked the new media arts program. “It is also great that it is a legacy school in my family, so I was already familiar with the campus and the school.”

MacKenzie, who is from Addison, N.Y., said she decided to look at RIT because so many family members, including other second cousins, had attended RIT. “But I decided to come here because it felt like home.”