A Circuitous Route
Valeska Maria Populoh ’07 (MAT) / Fiber, Fashion, and Textile Faculty
MICA’s Bicentennial Weekend brought together alumni, parents, students, friends, and community for a series of events and programs celebrating the College’s 200-year legacy of educating and inspiring creatives. As part of the festivities, MICA dedicated four rooms in its iconic Main Building to alumni and friends whose extraordinary generosity and commitment have helped shape the institution and its future. The College would not be in the position it is in today, celebrating 200 years of educating and inspiring artists and designers, without the extraordinary philanthropic efforts of our generous donors.
During the Bicentennial Weekend kickoff event, MICA officially unveiled the newly named spaces. Honored were four cherished members of the MICA community: Betty Cooke, the France-Merrick Foundation, the Harvey M. Meyerhoff Fund, and Kevin and Connor Kearney. Together, these honorees represent a legacy of philanthropy, creativity, and service that has made a lasting difference in the lives of MICA students.
Room 250 is now known as the Betty Cooke ’46, H’14, Studio. A distinguished alumna and educator for 22 years, Cooke shaped generations of students through the same exacting vision and devotion to craft that defined her own artistic practice.
The Main Building Boardroom is now known as the France-Merrick Foundation Boardroom. For decades, the foundation has generously supported the College, its students and the communities it serves, helping advance MICA’s mission and impact.
Room 110 is now known as the Harvey M. Meyerhoff Multi-Purpose Room. The Meyerhoff family’s enduring connection to MICA, which includes the Joseph Meyerhoff Career Center, reflects a shared belief in the power of artists and designers to inspire bold ideas, open new doors, and imagine what comes next.
Room 140 is now known as the Kevin and Connor Kearney Studio. Kevin M. Kearney ’74 (General Fine Arts BFA), a MICA alumnus, has built a career at the intersection of painting, design, and craft, bringing vision and confidence to both his artwork and design-build practice. MICA is deeply grateful to Kevin and his son, Connor, for their commitment to championing the next generation of painters and helping ensure that future students have access to the mentorship and creative spaces they need to develop their artistic practices.
