a strong foundation - Maryland Institute College of Art

“
A R N I E & K I T S N I D E R P ’ 9 9
16 < M I C A ’ 0 5
Our son, Ned, enjoyed his tenure at MICA in the late 1990s
immensely, in large part because of the excellent faculty.
When he came to MICA he was somewhat uncertain about
what he wanted to do, and faculty members Ellen Lupton
and Abbott Miller got him thinking about graphic design. It
was a turning point in his life.That is a main reason we have
supported the school.
At that time, there was a lot of unease in the MICA community
because of a spike in crime around the campus.We
were very impressed with the College’s response to this
challenge, but we also saw a real need that we could help
address. As members of the Parents’ Council, we heard the
demand for more patrols.We also understood that the College
did not have the fiscal resources to purchase an additional
patrol vehicle.Thus, knowing we could make a difference was
the impetus for our first major gift.
If parents really believe in the school and the value it has for
their children, they will want to do what they can to help
ensure that the institution survives. For us, buying a patrol
van that made it possible to put more security on the streets
was a matter of MICA’s survival.
We understand that the College’s efforts to improve security
in its neighborhood has made an enormous difference for
Baltimore. From my point of view, a gift to MICA is not only
a gift to higher education and the arts, but also to a better
community for Baltimore.
I THINK IF PARENTS REALLY BELIEVE IN THE
After Ned graduated, we kept in touch
SCHOOL AND THE VALUE IT HAS FOR THEIR CHILwith
MICA. It was just remarkable to
DREN, THEY WILL WANT TO DO WHAT THEY CAN
see Brown Center getting built, the
TO ENSURE THAT THE INSTITUTION SURVIVES.
College continuing to expand its
influence in the community. Because of Ned’s experience in
the design program, we wanted to help with that project.
The Browns and others had already made it possible for the
building to be constructed, so we provided funding for
equipment and infrastructure. We saw that Brown Center
was a major advance for the College, and something really
critical for the College to move forward.