Fredye and Adam Gross have long been closely involved with MICA and are leaders in Baltimore's arts and culture community. Fredye worked as an art photographer in Denver and for the San Francisco Examiner before she moved to Baltimore, where she was executive director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. She was a founding member of Maryland Arts Place (MAP), serving as that institution's chair for nine years. She has been a member of MICA's Board since 1982. In addition to chairing the Committee for Trustee Affairs, she has chaired the Annual Fund and annual galas. Adam is principal in Ayers/Saint/Gross (ASG) and for the past 15 years he has focused almost exclusively on master planning and architecture for colleges. In 2000, ASG completed the campus master plan for MICA that has been a key component of MICA's Plan for the 21st Century.

"I'm not certain that it's widely understood how tremendously influential MICA is in building the vibrant arts community that makes Baltimore such an exciting place to be today. If MICA hadn't renovated the Mount Royal Station in the 1960s and anchored the neighborhood, the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall wouldn't have located in this area. And you can't overestimate the role that Brown Center, a key element of the College's campus master plan, has had on raising the bar for the city architecturally.

And of course Fred has been involved in so many of the most successful art and culture initiatives-most recently the Station North Arts & Entertainment District. Fred helped me to see the importance of a nonprofit that would focus on emerging artists, with Maryland as its scope. The MAP board brought together a group of young entrepreneurs, business people, and artists who remain committed to the arts in Baltimore. MAP is celebrating its 20th anniversary. I've served on many nonprofit boards, and MICA is unique. There's a sense of camaraderie and purpose and a wonderful history to build upon. Not only does everyone give financially, but every member is committed mentally and physically too.

The two decades I've been involved have been ones of great change and growth, especially through the execution of the campus master plan. It's been so exciting to see the growth and change to the vision of where MICA will be 25 years into the future. Through the planning process, we've also made great strides in fundraising, both for capital projects and the Annual Fund. I don't mean to talk just about money; but the funds have allowed us to build a better facility and to attract a better faculty, a better student, a better graduate, a better artist in the community. The students obviously are why we do it. Each class of new students, now coming from all over the world, is so talented and when they leave we see the impact they make on the world. MICA is such an important institution for our community and for the world. I'm proud of being a part of MICA."