Welcome Message from President Frances Bronet (Fall 2018)

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

I am so excited to welcome you to campus as we begin the 2018-19 academic year together. It is an amazing time to be at Pratt, and we have much to anticipate and celebrate in the months ahead. As it is for many of you, this is my first fall semester at Pratt, and I am looking forward to the great projects of the year ahead.

Please join me in welcoming the talented cohort of students who make up our returning and new classes. It is also a pleasure to introduce Nsombi B. Ricketts, the Institute’s first Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Dennis Mazone, Director of Campus Safety; Judit Török, inaugural Director of Pratt’s Center for Teaching and Learning; School of Information Dean Anthony Cocciolo; and new chairs Shannon Ebner (Photography), Leslie Mutchler (Foundation), and Helio Takai (Mathematics and Science). Read more about the dedicated group of new leaders and full-time faculty.

We are standing at the threshold of a new school year filled with opportunities for us all to come together as we work to chart Pratt’s future. The process to develop the Institute’s next Strategic Plan is underway, and I encourage everyone to take part in what will be an inclusive campus process to establish a framework and priorities for the Institute’s continued growth and success. Learn more about how you can participate.

I also hope you will mark your calendars this fall for Pratt’s Presidential Inauguration, a week of dynamic events and celebration that will embody the inauguration not only of my presidency, but of themes and initiatives that belong to our entire Pratt community.

On September 6, the ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held to mark the opening of the newly renovated Student Union, an inviting gathering place for all students to enjoy. Looking further ahead, we will be asking for your engagement and sharing our progress in working with the acclaimed architecture firm Allied Works as we plan a state-of-the-art School of Art building on the Brooklyn campus that will provide a distinct destination on campus identified with its programs.

There is nothing like walking the campus and experiencing the activity and creative energy after the summer break. We are poised for an extraordinary fall semester, and I look forward to seeing you in classrooms, studios, and at events and exhibitions, and learning about your incredible investigations and work this year.

Sincerely,

Frances Bronet
President