Partnerships and Collaborations

• The Aperture Foundation partnership, established in 2014, is designed to enrich the BFA in Photography curriculum at MICA with the programming at Aperture Foundation. Each school year, a select number of Aperture artist workshops and lectures will take place at the MICA campus in Baltimore. Funding for this program has generously been provided by SB Cooper and RL Besson.
• We collaborate annually with the Fiber Department on the MME fashion show. Our photo students work in teams, assuming professional roles, to document the work of the student designers. The results are published annually in a print catalog. 
• We have partnered with the Goldseker Foundation to document the important social impact of the organizations that they support. 
• We have partnered with the Youth Rising Coalition, an ambitious group of 14 to 24-year-old entrepreneurs and youth with a firm belief in creating self-employment opportunities in Baltimore. We have documented their events, as well as the products created by the youth entrepreneurs. 
• We have partnered with Commodore John Rogers, a a Baltimore City Public School serving grades Pre-K through 8. Our faculty have worked as youth mentors, volunteering their time to help young artists realize the possibilities of the photographic image. 
• We are open to additional community and organizational collaborations - please reach out to nlarson@mica.edu to begin a conversation. 

Student Awards and Opportunities

• The Jan Meyer ’87 Photography Traveling Fellowship is an annual competitive funding award for one graduating senior to travel to work on a proposed project. The project is exhibited in MICA’s gallery the following year.
• The Jim Burger ’82 Senior Thesis Project Award is an annual competitive award that grants a cash prize to one senior to aid in the completion of their Senior Thesis coursework. Funding for this program has generously been provided by alumni Jim and Sue Burger.
• Each summer, one junior or senior is selected for a paid NYC internship with Aperture Foundation, one of contemporary photography’s most important publishers. Our collaborative relationship also includes an annual lecture series with Aperture artists and staff members, as well as field trips. Funding for this program has generously been provided by alumni SB Cooper and his wife RL Besson.
• One of our students is selected annually to attend a fully-fellowshipped weeklong workshop of their choice at Anderson Ranch Arts Center, in Snowmass, Colorado.
• Friends of Photography is an ongoing resource driven by alumni donors that offers funding for rolling proposals to boost student professional development opportunities. Funded projects have included travel for workshops and conferences, internship support, and exhibition materials support. We are grateful for donations and contributions to this important fund - please reach out to nlarson@mica.edu to discuss possibilities. 
• The Alumni Project Support Program recognizes that alumni may need continued support to work on post-graduation projects. We are committed to support one alumni project per semester through access to our facilities and resources for defined projects with professional outcomes.