For Artie Sadahiro ’26 (Ecosystems, Sustainability, and Justice BFA), that transformation began the moment someone truly saw him as an artist. “From that moment, I felt like I belonged,” he says. Today, his work blends art, climate justice, and community.

Martin Knuppel  ’25 (Illustration BFA, Printmaking Minor) found freedom in crossing boundaries. “I’ve been allowed to branch out into what I want to do,” they say. That permission — to experiment, layer disciplines, and build community — has given them both creative range and the confidence to imagine many futures.

For alum Dominique Samarco ’16 (Painting BFA), MICA offered something just as powerful: permission to take risks. “I was nurtured to experiment, to not be afraid to fail,” she says. That foundation now carries into her life as an artist and educator, helping the next generation find their own creative voice.

Across generations, the impact is clear. MICA shapes people who leave campus not only with skills, but with courage as artists and designers prepared to make meaning, lead with purpose, and carry their creativity into the world.