People

Graduate Program Assistants

Meet Your Graduate Program Assistants (GPAs)!

Graduate Program Assistants (GPAs) support their Program Director and fellow students to ensure the effective operation of their program. GPAs serve as graduate student leaders and work collaboratively with each other and the Office of Graduate Studies to help build community by promoting dialogue, the exchange of information, and timely communications.

 

Graduate Program Assistants

Nell Arnett (He/They), Community Arts, MFA

Nell is a graphic designer and multimedia artist who graduated from the University of West Florida in 2023 with a BA in Communication as well as a BFA in Graphic Design. While working on the UWF's Tag Team 23, Nell gained valuable experiences in design, project management, printmaking, digital fabrication, and more. He is passionate about art that is unconventional, messy, and intense. Nell is driven by a passion to advocate for, inspire, and amplify the voices of queer youth.

Jalen Thomas (She/Her), Community Arts, MFA

Hi I'm Jalen! I was born and raised in pg county. This spring I graduated from Stevenson university with a BS in graphic design and I'm joining the community arts program at MICA this fall. I have a special interest in photography and printmaking but I love to be creative in every way. I like to crochet and I'm really into kpop and broadway shows!

Vince Ruffini (He/Him), Curatorial Practice, MFA

Vincent Ruffini is a second-year Curatorial Practice MFA student at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and an emerging curator in the Baltimore area. His past work includes exhibition design, user experience, and audience engagement. Currently, he is working on creating immersive experiences with virtual reality (VR) as an exhibition platform.

Ireanna Rogers (She/Her), Curatorial Practice, MFA

I am Ireanna Rogers from Central Arkansas! I began my undergraduate studies at Savannah College of Art and Design and finished them at The University of Central Arkansas. I received my BA in Fine Art in Spring of 2023. My roots are in editorial and fashion photography. I am interested in expanding/creating cultural conversations through art.

Steven Zhu (He/Him), Filmmaking, MFA

Steven Zhu is currently based in Baltimore, MD as a filmmaker, designer, and actor. His artwork is influenced by stage plays and theater as a medium. By loosening the boundaries between stage and screen, reality and performance, he aims to give the audience an immersive experience.

Ariba Kamran (She/Her), Graphic Design, MA

Hi! I'm Ariba, a Visual Designer from Pakistan who hold's a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts in Visual Communication Design from National College Of Arts, NCA. Currently, I'm embarking on an exciting new chapter, pursuing a Master's degree in Arts in Graphic Design from MICA to deepen my expertise and broaden my horizons in the design field.

Anubhooti Gupta (She/Her), Graphic Design, MFA

Anubhooti Gupta is a graphic designer from India. After completing her undergraduate studies, she worked in diverse fields, from Packaging Design to Editorial Design. She enjoys working with image-making, typography, publication, and brand systems. When she is not working, she can be seen reading a book, watching an anime, or tending to her plants.

Hannah Han (She/Her), Graphic Design, MFA

Hannah is a graphic designer who graduated from MICA in 2022 with a BFA. She has returned to MICA with more experience and is eager to rejoice MICA with her new friends and colleagues. Hannah enjoys typography and image-making; she is looking forward to exchanging unique ideas and experiences.

Niyati Mehta (She/Her), Graphic Design, MFA

Niyati is a graphic designer and brand strategist from Mumbai, India. She holds a bachelors degree from Srishti Institute College of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore. Since then she has worked at a design studio that builds brands for Indian entrepreneurs. She enjoys working with business developers, designers and creative thinkers. On weekends, you’d find her at a new restaurant or hosting a party.

Shobhitha Saravanan (She/Her), Graphic Design, MFA

Hello! I’m Shobhitha, a second-year MFA GD student at MICA. I am passionate about culture, inclusivity, and pushing creative boundaries in the discourse of design. I’m an admirer of cats, a typography nerd, and a baker & maker of all things under the sun.

Kaitlyn Robicheau-Hall (She/Her), Illustration, MA

Hi! My name is Kaitlyn Robicheau-Hall and I am from New Hampshire. I have my BFA in studio art, focusing in Printmaking and Painting. I am now a part of the Illustration MA program, and I hope to begin a career in illustrating books.

Krittika Mittal (She/Her), Illustration Practice, MFA

Hi, I am Krittika! I am a graphic designer and an illustrator from New Delhi. I have been learning and teaching visual arts for the past 8 years, and through my practice, I hope to make art more tangible and more approachable to people. And therefore, you'll often find me attempting to depict relatable ideas and the joy and comfort of everyday things.

Rui Cao (She/Her), Illustration Practice, MFA

Hello there, welcome to MICA! I am a second-year student from the MFA ILP program. My work often relates to narrative and book illustration. In recent years, I have started working with 3D elements such as puppets and automata. Besides art, I am the mother of my cat, Tachi, she is a 5 years old orange tabby. I am passionate about photography and snowboarding. Also, if you see a person riding an e-bike on the school campus, that's me!

Poojac Kumar

Pooja Venkatachalam Kumar (She/Her), Illustration Practice, MFA

I'm a chemical engineer turned artist. I love to read books about nature and am always on the lookout to explore new and creative ways to amalgamate science and art! Everything about living things excites me and I'm driven to make the Earth a better place by using my art as the tool for communicating critical issues.

Amelie Wang (She/Her), LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting, MFA

Amelie Wang is a painter who works with oil. She received a BA in Art(painting and drawing concentration) and Gender Woman Sexuality Study at the University of Washington in 2021. In her practice, she explores complex human life under the shadow of personal and collective history. Her paintings investigate the relationship between the past and the present, also the dynamic between a single being and the world around.

Taj Poscé (He/Him), LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting MFA

My name is Taj, I was born and raised in Philadelphia. I attended Tyler School of Arts for 2 years and received my BFA. Outside of painting, I love building things & going out to dinner with my loved one.

Dr. Antoinette Myers Perry (Dr. T) (She/They), LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting, MFA

Antoinette Myers Perry was born in Long Beach, California and grew up bicoastal, attending schools in Inglewood, California., Los Angeles, Calif., Washington, D.C., and Portland, Oregon. In 2012, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Latin American studies from Scripps College. In 2015, she received her Master of Arts in Policy, Organization, Leadership Studies from Stanford University and her Doctorate of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California in 2021. After serving as a dean and faculty member at the Barrie School (Silver Spring, MD), Myers is currently pursuing her MFA in Painting from the LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore, MD. In 2008, Myers’ mural “divine inspiration” was exhibited in several group exhibitions at Portland City Hall (Portland, Oregon), the Urban League of Portland, and the Oregon State Capitol. Her work is included as a permanent installation in the Avel Gordly Alberta HeadStart Headquarters in NE Portland.

Tim Moran (He/They) LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting, MFA

Tim Moran is a second year MFA candidate in the LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting, making abstractions that draw structures and intuitive understanding from his formal education in music. Tim is a Maryland native, and previously studied both visual art and music at the University of Maryland, earning a BM in classical trumpet performance. He has a career background in arts education, focusing on teaching in the disability community, and also worked as Gallery Coordinator at the Brentwood Arts Exchange in Hyattsville, MD before coming to MICA to pursue his painting practice full-time. Outside of his studies, Tim is a doting bunny dad, an extreme metal fan, and a nerd culture enthusiast.

Erhan Us (He/Him), Mount Royal School of Art Multidisciplinary MFA

Conceptual artist and author. Granted multiple international honors for his 11 NGO / association presidency, pioneer marketing projects and as the A.D. 1644 Marketing Group CEO, 'best digital & strategic agency' awards. His artworks were exhibited in 120+ exhibitions in ~30 countries, 14 of which are solos. Us, who is the author of the books Digital Prestige, Status Quo, Polisopolis and 50+ articles; holds TH Management, Sociology and Philosophy license degrees from Bilkent, Istanbul, Anadolu Universities, lectures at Eastern Mediterranean University and continues his multidisciplinary art studies at MICA."

Teddi Kabler (They/Them), Mount Royal School of Art Multidisciplinary MFA

Teddi is the Mt. Royal admin GPA and currently producing "aerial" sculpture in the studio. They like spreadsheets too much, coordinate custom colours always, and gently force everyone to learn the 24 hr clock. Ask them about book club!

William Okaily (He/Him), Mount Royal School of Art Multidisciplinary MFA

William Okaily is a Lebanese fine artist and performance artist. He works as a freelance production designer and scenographer, in parallel with his own art practice. Imbued with a sense of optimism, William's art fosters a deeper understanding of the intricate interplay between form and content in art and is driven by his interest in history.

Fill Gilbert (He/Him), Photography + Media & Society, MFA

Hello, I’m an introverted photographer who loves doing portraits. I have 2 cats who are quite the handful. Im engaged to a wonderful individual who inspires me to do good. I'm an activist fighting for health care for all. Despite all the things I do, I appreciate a good joke and tackle most things with humor.

Ciarra Walters (She/Her), Photography + Media & Society, MFA

Ciarra K. Walters (1992) is an interdisciplinary artist. Her practice centers around self-portraiture, movement-based performance, public art, and art education. Inserting her body in public space, both natural and metropolitan, her performances, videos, and photography examine the relationship between one’s physical self and its history in its environments.

Lite Zhang (He/Him), Rinehart School of Sculpture, MFA

Lite (Ritter) Zhang is an interdisciplinary sculptor from Xi’an, China. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture at Maryland Institute College of Art and is currently studying for his Master of Fine Arts degree at Rinehart School at MICA. He is a Chinese artist in the United States looking for differences in arts and culture between the East and West. He redefines traditional Eastern cultures, presents them in modern 3D language, and participates in exhibitions. He is passionate about exploring the infinite possibilities of materials, using common materials and even trash to express his thoughts and social phenomena in different forms and properties.

Pallavi Mambillil (She/Her), Social Design, MA

Hi! I am a Bangalore based designer and educator, currently in the MASD program. I am a fan of imaginary world from both books and movies. I like biology, working for children and the monsoon.

Samia Bzioui (She/Her), Studio Art, MFA

My artistic journey started in Morocco in 2012 in parallel with my career at the Central Bank. After moving to the United States in 2018, I started an MFA in Studio Arts. My work follows a multidisciplinary approach to address the space in between the two places each immigrant belongs to and question the concept of homeliness.

Ember Pendleton (They/He), Teaching, MA

Ember Pendleton is an activism-minded art teacher and artist, big time Trekkie, and longtime MICA community member. They attended MICA for undergrad 2012-2018, graduating from the GFA program with a focus on soft sculpture, creature creation, and installation art. Out in the real world they discovered their love of teaching, and returned to MICA for grad school to become a certified, bonafide art teacher through the MAT program.