College for Creative Studies Alumni

College for Creative Studies Alumni The official Alumni page for the College for Creative Studies (CCS) in Detroit.

The College for Creative Studies is not just a campus, it is a community connected by our relentless passion for expression and creativity. We are influenced by everything around us, including the industriousness and beauty of the city of Detroit. CCS Alumni form a network of individuals who wish to continue learning and growing from one another and from the world around us.

2022-23 Alumni Counci

l Members:

Antone Amye (’00, AD)
President

John Kaloustian (’79, ID)
Vice President

Laura Lybeer-Hilpert ('85, GC)
Secretary

Conor Ahearn ('16, PR)
Sam Ajluni (’76, AD)
Dave Chow (’87, GC)
Jason Cummins ('11, ID)
Darcel Deneau (’02, FA)
Jody Ingle ('08, PR)
Karen Koziatek (GC)
Gerardo Macias (’02, FA)
Craig Metros ('86, ID)
Brad Phillips ('84, AD)
Jenny Risher ('97, PH)
Melissa Endress-Rodriguez ('03, IN)
Glenn Triest (’82, PH)

CCS is all over Detroit Month of Design!September is Detroit Month of Design, and we’re excited to celebrate the many CC...
09/01/2026

CCS is all over Detroit Month of Design!

September is Detroit Month of Design, and we’re excited to celebrate the many CCS alumni, faculty, students and programs contributing to exhibitions, installations, talks, workshops and events across the city.

Produced by Design Core Detroit, part of the College for Creative Studies, Detroit Month of Design brings Detroit’s creative community together throughout September and celebrates our city’s role as the first and only UNESCO City of Design in the United States.

💛 Look for these CCS connections throughout the month:

SEPT 1–30** | YayaLand Takeover IV
Yazmin Dababneh ’22, Craft & Material Studies

SEPT 3 | Festival Opening Celebration
Featuring work by members of the CCS community

SEPT 5–30| Making Our Way to Midnight
Olivia Eshe Holt ’21, Product Design

SEPT 5 | Fashion Through the Lens of Fibers
Taylor Childs ’18, Craft – Fiber Design + Sudani Shaah ’24, Craft – Fibers & Textiles

SEPT 6| Industrial Heritage to Industrial Design
Bo Shepherd ’12, Transportation Design + Paula Schubatis, Teaching Certificate ’21

SEPT 10| (Sub)surface
Erin Palmore ’17, Advertising + Deja Jones ’14, Craft

SEPT 11 | UnRelated
Toomas Toomepuu ’21, Craft + Tony Hope ’12, Fine Art

SEPT 11 | “Girl Raised in Detroit – Season 47” & “Crossroads: Intersections of Black Family Culture”
Sydney James ’01, Illustration + Richard Lewis ’91, Fine Art + Sabrina Nelson ’91, Fine Art + Lina Stephens ’85, Craft – Jewelry & Metalsmithing

SEPT 11 | Fridays at the Station: Detroit Month of Design Takeover
Nicole Jarecz ’10, Illustration

SEPT 11 | For the Love Of
CCS Fashion Design Associate Professor Rey Pador

SEPT 17 | 🌙 Eastern Market After Dark + CCS Alumni Lounge
Join fellow CCS alumni during one of Detroit Month of Design’s signature events! Register for the Alumni Lounge at https://www.ccsdetroit.edu/ccs-event/alumni-lounge-eastern-market-after-dark-2/

SEPT 18 | Making Better Things with Daniel Liden: Toyota Lecture Series + Sustainable Material Showcase
Hosted at CCS and featuring work by current CCS students

SEPT 18| Discarded + Thread: An Act of Seeing
Elizabeth Salonen ’03, Industrial Design + CCS faculty

SEPT 22 | DVN USA Interior – What’s Coming in Vehicle Interiors?
Hosted at CCS

SEPT 30 | CAP Director’s Choice Exhibition & Reception
Featuring work from CCS Community Arts Partnerships programs

✨ Are you a CCS alum, faculty member, or student participating in Detroit Month of Design, and we missed you? Let us know in the comments!
We’d love to celebrate even more of our CCS creative community throughout the month.

Find event times, locations, registration information, and the full festival calendar at DetroitMonthofDesign.org.

Sometimes, all it takes is someone opening a door.When CCS alumna Darcel Deneau ’02 first came to CCS, she couldn’t affo...
08/31/2026

Sometimes, all it takes is someone opening a door.

When CCS alumna Darcel Deneau ’02 first came to CCS, she couldn’t afford to stay. Years later, she found her way back — and she has never forgotten what that experience taught her.

Today, Darcel is helping open doors for the next generation of CCS artists and designers, and she’s asking fellow alumni to join her.

Your gift can help create opportunities for talented students as they pursue their creative futures.

💛 Open a door for the next generation.
https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/adaptive-donor-form?formId=9b393c9c-6486-4d36-b939-3d7bf522f91f&envid=p-ZvDDJHSqvE-J_io80JToKQ&zone=usa

And stay tuned — later this month, we’ll share how a conversation between Darcel and recent CCS graduate Neo Hopkins ’25 sparked an unexpected connection between two artists at different points in their creative journeys.

Each summer, CCS Illustration alumni come back to campus to reconnect, share what they’re working on, and learn from one...
08/28/2026

Each summer, CCS Illustration alumni come back to campus to reconnect, share what they’re working on, and learn from one another. We love seeing this annual gathering continue to grow!

A huge thank you to Illustration Professor Francis Vallejo for his commitment to our alumni and for making this event happen year after year, and to this year’s alumni presenter, Sean Peacock ’22, for sharing his experiences and insights on building his career since graduating. Sean, you are killing it!

And, of course, thank you to all of the alumni who joined us and continue to make this annual meet-up such a great tradition.

🎥 Missed Sean’s presentation? You can watch the recording here.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1we60dXqVLZ8RZyyASc0iKzbn5Md3_4os/view

Experience the intersection of automotive history and the future of design at the Gilmore Car Museum.⁠⁠New Date! Saturda...
08/21/2026

Experience the intersection of automotive history and the future of design at the Gilmore Car Museum.⁠
⁠
New Date! Saturday, September 19, CCS alumni and current students will gather to celebrate creativity, connection, and the Defined by Design exhibition, including work by CCS Transportation Design students and recent graduates.⁠
⁠
Enjoy a traditional Santa Maria-style BBQ dinner, explore one of the country's premier automotive museums, and connect with the CCS community—all with complimentary admission.⁠
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📍 Gilmore Car Museum⁠
6865 W. Hickory Rd.⁠
Hickory Corners, MI 49060⁠
⁠
Saturday, September 19 | 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.⁠
⁠
🚌 Need a ride? A complimentary shuttle will be available from CCS to the Gilmore Car Museum and back. If you'd like to ride with us, be sure to reserve your seat when you RSVP, as space is limited.⁠
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Register today! https://www.ccsdetroit.edu/ccs-event/alumni-reception-at-the-gilmore-car-museum/

CCS Alumni Spotlight 📸⁠⁠Congratulations to Photography Alumnus John Sobczak on the debut of his new book celebrating dan...
08/18/2026

CCS Alumni Spotlight 📸⁠
⁠
Congratulations to Photography Alumnus John Sobczak on the debut of his new book celebrating dance photography!⁠
⁠
Join John on September 10 at Galerie Camille in Detroit for the book launch and exhibition, featuring a signing and live performances by many of the dancers featured in the book.⁠

Don’t miss John’s free Dance Photography Workshop on September 12 from 1–3 p.m. Come learn, create, and capture movement in action!
⁠
A wonderful celebration of photography, movement and the artists who bring both to life.⁠
⁠
“To live fully is to dance freely.” — John Sobczak

08/17/2026

This , we're shining a light on Red Winglet by 1995 Crafts alum April Wagner, featured in the 2026 Re/View: CCS Alumni Exhibition.

Made from hand-blown glass, April's work is a perfect example of how a little heat, a lot of skill, and a whole lot of creativity can turn glass into something extraordinary.

Today, April is a Master Glassblower and the owner of Epiphany Studios, creating everything from vessels and lighting to large-scale, site-specific sculptures.

Learn more about glass at CCS in the Studio Art and Craft department here: https://viewbook.collegeforcreativestudies.edu/programs/studio-art-craft/

Alumna Pat Boyer ’84, Fine Arts, has a new exhibition, Gestural Images Full of Color, on view at Pagus Gallery in Norris...
08/15/2026

Alumna Pat Boyer ’84, Fine Arts, has a new exhibition, Gestural Images Full of Color, on view at Pagus Gallery in Norristown, Pennsylvania, through August 31.

The exhibition brings together 19 of Pat’s abstract paintings from the past decade, filled with vibrant color, movement and energy. Her work draws inspiration from the landscapes that have surrounded her throughout her life, from the Great Lakes of Michigan to the woods and gardens of Pennsylvania.

“When I get out of my head and into my body, the painting paints itself!” — Pat Boyer

Can't make it in person? You can view a preview here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDZ9TZ3e_D0

Featured Painting: “The Beast”
Acrylic on canvas / 36” X 36”
📍 Pagus Gallery, Norristown, PA
📅 On view through August 31
🔗 patboyer.com
📷

✨ Alumni Spotlight: Michael Opipari ’75, PhotographyWe’re excited to share a recent Artistcloseup.com profile featuring ...
08/14/2026

✨ Alumni Spotlight: Michael Opipari ’75, Photography

We’re excited to share a recent Artistcloseup.com profile featuring CCS alumnus Michael Opipari (Photography, 1975) and his remarkable journey from photography, retail design, and exhibit design to contemporary jewelry.

A Detroit-based jewelry artist, Michael brings together traditional metalsmithing, digital modeling, 3D printing, casting, and hand-finishing to create pieces designed to be experienced as much as seen. Since beginning his jewelry practice in 2017, his work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and has been selected for placement at the Grammy Awards and The Met Gala, as well as featured in Vogue and Vogue China.

In the Artistcloseup interview, Michael offers a wonderful perspective on his creative process and the role experimentation plays in his work:

“Every piece starts as a question, not an outcome.”

We love seeing the many directions a creative life can take and celebrating the continued accomplishments of our CCS alumni. Congratulations, Michael, and thank you for staying connected and sharing your work with us!

🔗 Read Michael’s full profile on Artistcloseup.com
https://www.artistcloseup.com/blog/interview-michael-opipari
🔗 Explore his work at opiparijewelry.com
📷 Follow Michael on Instagram:

Profile written by Adelé van Niekerk for Artistcloseup.com
Photo courtesy of Artistcloseup.com

🦚 The Peacock Effect⁠⁠The impact of a CCS education reaches far beyond graduation. It shows up in the relationships, men...
08/13/2026

🦚 The Peacock Effect⁠
⁠
The impact of a CCS education reaches far beyond graduation. It shows up in the relationships, mentorships, and creative connections that continue across careers and generations.⁠
⁠
Alumnus Chad Jensen recently shared a wonderful example of that lasting CCS connection.⁠
⁠
When Herb Babcock, Chad’s former professor, was selected as the artist for a public art installation Chad was consulting on in Naples, Florida, their CCS connection came full circle. Years after learning from Herb, Chad had the opportunity to work alongside him as Herb oversaw the installation of his monumental sculpture.⁠
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Herb’s legacy at CCS runs deep. A celebrated sculptor, he taught hot glass, served as Chair of the Crafts Department, and was the longest-serving faculty member in the College’s history. A mentorship that began in the classroom decades ago had grown into a professional collaboration.⁠
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For Chad, the CCS connection is also a family one. His daughter, Sophia, is now making her own mark at CCS.⁠
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Sophia Jensen is beginning her senior year in CCS Fashion after completing an internship with Caleres in New York and recently being featured on the cover of Naples Illustrated, where her story also celebrated her CCS experience.⁠
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Stories like this are what make the CCS community so special. Have a CCS story or connection of your own? We’d love to hear it. Share it with us at [email protected]

08/10/2026

This , we're featuring Detached Factory by 2001 Ceramics alum Sean Evans( ), part of the 2026 Re/View: CCS Alumni Exhibition.

Created from terra cotta, Sean's work reflects his lifelong connection to clay and craftsmanship, a journey that began right here in Detroit and continued through his studies at CCS. Now, Sean is giving back to the next generation of makers as a ceramics instructor at CCS.

See Sean’s work alongside fellow alumni in the Re/View: CCS Alumni Exhibition here: https://www.ccsdetroit.edu/student-exhibition/ccs-alumni-exhibition/

Address

201 E Kirby Street
Detroit, MI
48202

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+13136647462

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