They make a way. - Maryland Institute College of Art

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SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT PROFILE:
THRIVING
Kyle Hackett ’13 MFA, HOFFBERGER SCHOOL OF PAINTING
Roberta Polevoy Fund Scholarship Recipient
“As an artist, it is the highest feeling to know that your art
has touched and impacted someone. I certainly hope that through
my journey, I have encouraged others to believe in positivity
during times of struggle, while reminding them that dreams
can be carved even from poverty.”
Kyle Hackett felt that coming to MICA was his
destiny. The history of the Hoffberger School of
Painting as the first, and one of the only, schools
dedicated exclusively to painting is a legacy that he
had to be a part of. His interaction with faculty—
notably program director Joan Waltemath—and
guest critics has been invaluable, contributing to
a supportive atmosphere of study and innovation
that empowers students serious about art.
Though thrilled to be accepted into one of the
most selective academic programs in the world,
Hackett doubts that he would have been able to
attend were it not for the Roberta Polevoy Fund
Scholarship he received. It was a validation for him
that hard work is still rewarded. The scholarship,
which supports graduate students at MICA, is
made possible through the Baltimore Community
Foundation, which promotes education and
neighborhood development as a means to enhance
Baltimore’s growing economy and the ability of
residents to thrive.
HACKETT SEES ART AS A “POWERFUL
INSTRUMENT OF SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION.”
BY UNDERSTANDING ITS HISTORY, HE SAYS,
HE CAN INSPIRE OTHERS TO UNDERSTAND
DIFFERENCES IN SOCIAL, RACIAL, AND
ECONOMIC IDENTITIES THROUGH HIS WORK.
He hopes that by sharing his own story through
painting, he can help others as they make sense
of their stories. Ultimately, in addition to making
art, he wants to teach at the college level, and he
would love to create a fund of his own that helps
young people facing adverse living conditions to
develop their talents.