Hearing Morel S. Doucet’s ’13 story, a prospective student can easily imagine arriving on campus unsure, carrying expectations, and slowly discovering a voice they didn’t yet know they had. Morel entered, choosing what felt “safe,” then found the courage through mentors, studios, student leadership, and community to pivot toward what felt true.

What stands out is how MICA didn’t confine him to a single path. Instead, it helped him connect everything: making, writing, leadership, identity, and purpose. From switching majors to ceramics, to leading the Black Student Union, to understanding how art can speak to climate justice and cultural memory, his experience reflects a place where exploration is encouraged and supported.

For a new or prospective student, this story offers reassurance: it’s okay not to have everything figured out on day one. MICA is a place where faculty notice potential, where materials become language, and where taking creative risks can lead to a life’s work with meaning and impact.

If this is what it looks like to grow into one’s voice at MICA, it’s easy to see why students choose to begin that journey here.