News

RIT has selected Phillip D. Castleberry, a 20-year veteran of higher education advancement and fundraising, as its new vice president for Development and Alumni Relations. Castleberry, who is currently serving as vice president for institutional advancement at St. John Fisher College, was chosen after a national search. He begins his RIT duties on Feb. 1.

The Examiner features Joe Cobbinah '82 (business administration), president of Dafco’s Art Gallery.

Fast Company features Matthew Peltier '13 (new media interactive development), founder and CEO of Community.com.

Six members of the RIT community entered a new phase with the university and became the latest Tigers to serve on the RIT Alumni Association Board. 

Rick Brennan BS '93, Elizabeth Del Valle BS '10, Victoria Griffith BS '93, Robert Moakley BS '19, Ryan Ramplin BS '08, and Anika Aftab '19 were selected from a variety of graduation years and geographic areas. For the next three years, they will provide leadership in the development and execution of engaging alumni activities.

"As our alma mater grows in national stature, the voice of alumni becomes that much more important. The RIT Alumni Association Board members represent the interests of all 135,000 RIT alumni. Our new additions to the board will provide fresh and unique perspectives to help shape the institute’s future alumni programs," said Victoria Griffith BS '93. Victoria is the new President-Elect of the RIT Alumni Association Board. 

A program called “momentum” designed for students at RIT to develop their leadership skills while actively working to address community challenges has gained momentum, in part, due to a $250,000 donation to expand the program next semester.

"Craft in America," a documentary series on handmade objects and the artists who make them, will feature furniture maker Wendy Maruyama '80 MFA (woodworking and furniture design). The episode is scheduled to air at 10 p.m. Dec. 27 on WXXI-TV.

RIT will use a substantial gift of real estate in Penfield to expand the university’s research and educational offerings in ecology, agriculture, sustainability and other fields. Amy Leenhouts Tait and Robert C. Tait have gifted to the university their 177-acre property, which will be dedicated as the Tait Preserve of RIT.

Dwell features Patricia Moore ’74 (industrial design), an internationally renowned designer, gerontologist, and leading authority on consumer lifespan behaviors

The Rochester Beacon reports that RIT ranks No. 1 in the Rochester area in  “A First Try at ROI: Ranking 4,500 Colleges," a  new report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

Tim Webber ’97 (civil engineering technology) helped design one of the largest YMCA facilities in the country: the Schottland Family YMCA, in Pittsford, N.Y. Webber is vice president and director of civil engineering at LaBella Associates, an international architecture, engineering, environmental, and planning firm in Rochester.

After years of working in commercial photography, Rob Goldman ’84 (professional photography) decided he needed to change his routine and focus on something new. Goldman quit commercial photography and embarked on several independent projects that focused on the reality, struggles, and beauty of life.

Patricia Moore ’74 (industrial design), an internationally renowned designer, gerontologist, and leading authority on consumer lifespan behaviors, received the prestigious Cooper Hewitt National Design Award in New York City in October.