Timothy App describes the demands the curriculum makes on MICA students as "very high." He added, "they are required to meet them and they do. Many come to us with a strong work ethic, and it is reinforced here."

What prepares them well for the world outside MICA is their "continuing involvement in creative problem solving," he noted. "They don't just develop skills, they are asked to think critically."

Theresa Bedoya calls being at MICA "a transformative experience that allows students to go on and influence culture, communications, and how we see ourselves in an increasingly global world."

Both Theresa and Timothy have been at MICA for many years and are deeply engaged with and committed to the school. Both feel strongly that more funds are needed for scholarships, so that MICA can offer enough help to the very talented students who want to be here.  "Parents make incredible sacrifices," said Theresa. "Some students work two jobs to make it happen because they believe it's worth the investment."

According to Timothy, "everyone at MICA has shown a willingness to pitch in in some way. The faculty give as they can because they understand the importance of giving and the need to meet what is a continuing financial challenge."

"The faculty and staff really believe in the students," said Theresa. "The need is more urgent now than ever to support this school, this place, these people. That's why we choose to give."

Of the admissions process, Theresa said, "There are lots of students with talent. We look for people who want to make a difference and break new ground."
"Transformation," Timothy added, "also means learning to navigate in the world. The ‘art world' is not a separate place. Artists are an important part of our culture."
The connections between a MICA education and the larger world are "built in to the curriculum," said Theresa. "A student can major in painting with a concentration in curatorial studies, do internships at museums and study in Florence." The curriculum's flexibility allows students to build programs that "allow them to connect outwards."

As an example of the kind of creative problem solving that is being used to address challenges from the public sector to private industry, Theresa described the eight-year relationship between MICA and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "Students were asked to work with medical professionals to produce more effective communications on healthy living" in one of Baltimore's poorest neighborhoods.

"The students went out into the community, spoke to residents and found out information that transformed the way the hospital was communicating about its healthy living program," she said. "The students discovered the words and images that had the most resonance for people within the community, found unique ways to deliver information (e.g., the backs of church fans), and developed new, more powerful communications that led to a significant increase in the program's success."

Timothy also pointed out that many undergraduate and graduate students at MICA want to be teachers of art "at every level - grade school, high school and college." Theresa added, "Teaching brings art to the community, not just through formal education but through community arts programs. It has been 15 or 20 years since arts funding was cut in the Baltimore City public high schools. Through MICA's M.A. in Community Arts program, we're working with people of all ages."