College for Creative Studies Alumni

What a fantastic evening at our first-ever CCS Alumni Speed Networking Event!

Alumni gathered to make new connections, share experiences, enjoy great conversation, and even update their professional headshots. From meaningful introductions to unexpected connections, it was a wonderful reminder of the strength and creativity of the CCS community.

Thank you to everyone who joined us—we can't wait to continue creating opportunities for relationship-building, professional growth, and community engagement.

As we continue to grow alumni programming, we want to hear from you! Whether you attended the event or not, your feedback will help shape future opportunities for alumni engagement, professional development, networking, and skill-building.

Take our survey and let us know what you'd like to see next.
https://forms.gle/r57UoChS5fJxJguf7

🎨 States in Play: MdW All Partners Exhibition

📅 June 23–26, 2026
🕛 Gallery Hours: Monday–Friday, 12:00–6:00 PM
📍 Valade Family Gallery, A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education, College for Creative Studies

CCS is proud to host States in Play: MdW All Partners Exhibition, a gathering of artist-run and community-centered organizations that form the backbone of the Midwest’s independent art landscape.

This exhibition celebrates collaboration as both a practice and a philosophy, highlighting how collective action, shared resources, and mutual support help sustain creative communities across the region. Featuring partners from across the Midwest, States in Play showcases the dynamic networks and cooperative spirit that continue to shape the future of contemporary art and culture.

Join us to explore the ideas, relationships, and creative ecosystems that make the Midwest such a vital force in the arts.

Free and open to the public. Please RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/states-in-play-mdw-all-partners-opening-reception-tickets-1989923712391?aff=oddtdtcreator

Design Core Detroit presents:⁠

🌮✨ Drinks x Design: Food, Culture + Community⁠
📅 Thursday, June 4 | 🕠 5:30–8:30 PM⁠
📍 Mexicantown CDC, Detroit⁠

Join us in for an evening exploring the intersection of food, culture, and design. From local foodways to global creative networks, this edition of Drinks x Design highlights how culinary traditions shape community identity, inspire creativity, and influence the future of cities.⁠

Connect with designers, creatives, community leaders, and curious minds while experiencing one of Detroit’s most vibrant cultural districts.⁠

Perfect for CCS alumni, students, and anyone interested in the power of design to bring people together.⁠

🎟️ RSVP⁠
https://designcore.org/events

🚗☕ Alumni Cars & Coffee ☕🚗

One of our favorite CCS traditions is back! Join fellow alumni for a beautiful morning of coffee, cars, conversation, and community at Kirk in the Hills on Sunday, June 14 from 9:30–11:00 AM.

This annual gathering has become such a wonderful space to reconnect with old friends, meet fellow car enthusiasts, and celebrate the incredible CCS automotive design community.

Enjoy a continental breakfast before the Men of the Kirk Car Show begins at 10:00 AM, honoring legendary designer and former CCS instructor Bill Robinson.

📍 Kirk in the Hills
1340 W Long Lake Rd
Bloomfield Twp, MI 48302

Open to registered CCS alumni and guests.
https://tinyurl.com/ytp8cpxf

Questions? [email protected]

RSVP through the link in bio!

What a night ✨ Thank you to everyone who joined us for the opening of the 2026 Re/View: CCS Alumni Exhibition last Friday!

This year’s Re/View exhibition was juried by Joshua Wojick, '02, Crafts – Glass (), Senior Director of Collections and Greenfield Village Operations at The Henry Ford. A practicing glass artist and former CCS adjunct faculty member, Joshua brings more than two decades of museum and collections experience, overseeing the stewardship of nearly 26 million artifacts.

It was incredible to celebrate the creativity, talent, and community that make CCS so special — from new alumni participating for the first time to alumni joining us from near and very far who have not been to campus in many years. It was great to see so many connections on Friday!

Both the Alumni and Student exhibitions are open free to the public through May 29. https://www.ccsdetroit.edu/student-exhibition/

💻 View and purchase works online through the link: https://app.artclvb.xyz/collection/aba450c2-7848-44b3-9116-fa64662ef2dc

And stay tuned for future artist spotlights featuring some of the incredible alumni artists from this year’s exhibition!

Commencement is tomorrow, CCS Class of 2026! 🎓✨

If you missed us at the Senior Picnic, you can still pick up your Alumni T-shirt when you receive your diploma!

📍 Academic Advising & Registration Office (AARO)
1st Floor, Kawasaki Building

🗓 Pickup Times:
Friday, May 15, from 1–4 p.m. at the Academic Advising & Registration Office (AARO), with continued pickup available May 18 through June 12, Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Welcome to the alumni family—we can’t wait to see what you create next. ❤️

T-shirt design by Luke Farwell, ’25 Illustration

At CCS, we believe in supporting our students as whole creatives—recognizing not just their visual work, but their voices, ideas, and storytelling.

Through awards like the James S. Goldwasser Award for Excellence in Writing—which honors graduating seniors for exceptional fiction and celebrates the power of storytelling—we continue a long legacy of recognizing student achievement across disciplines.

This year, we’re proud to honor Lily Jarnac and Fiona McCabe for their outstanding writing—an achievement they’ll carry with them as they join our alumni community.

We look forward to celebrating these students and many more at Spring Commencement on May 14.

🔗 Read more about the Goldwasser Award and its impact: https://www.ccsdetroit.edu/news/the-james-s-goldwasser-award-for-excellence-in-writing/

CCS alumni—here’s a chance to contribute to a lasting piece of Detroit’s public art landscape.

The Detroit Historical Society is seeking an original design for a permanent mural at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle. The selected work will be installed on the museum’s west-facing wall.

Designs should explore Detroit’s history through themes such as:
⚓ Great Lakes maritime heritage
🎣 Fishing & boating
🌿 Belle Isle
🏙️ Detroit-centered stories (open to interpretation)

No mural experience is required—artists may submit designs in a variety of formats.

Deadline: June 1, 2026
Submissions are free and will be reviewed by a panel of community advisors and the Detroit Historical Society.

🔗 Learn more & submit:
https://www.detroithistorical.org/visit/dossin-great-lakes-museum/summer-2026-mural-project

Feel free to share with fellow artists in your network.

We’re excited to share that the College for Creative Studies has appointed Allison J. Puff as our next Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Allison brings a strong record of academic leadership, most recently serving as Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and Interim Co-President at the Kansas City Art Institute. Known for her student-centered approach and ability to guide institutions through change, she will lead CCS’s academic vision and support the continued success of our students and programs.

Please join us in welcoming Allison to the CCS community!

🔗 Read the full announcement: https://www.ccsdetroit.edu/news/college-for-creative-studies-appoints-allison-j-puff-as-next-provost/