Academy of Art University Commencement to Celebrate New Grads Took Place in May of 2019 San Francisco

Undergraduate and Graduate students at Academy of Art University in San Francisco will celebrate their commencement ceremonies this week at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, 99 Grove Street in San Francisco.

Graduate students receiving their MA, MFA, M.ARCH, or MAT degrees will celebrate commencement exercises on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at 10 am and at 4 pm, while undergraduate students receiving AA, BA, BFA, B.ARCH, or BS degrees celebrated commencement on Thursday, May 23, 2019, from 10 am to 4 pm.

Academy of Art University Annual Spring Show

Additionally, Academy of Art University’s annual Spring Show 2019, installed at 2225 Jerrold Avenue, showcases the most distinguished work produced by Academy of Art students in over 40 areas of art & design.  This exhibit will be on display from Friday, May 17 through June 15.  The exhibit will be closed on Sundays and holidays.

Academy of Art University Spring Show is an opportunity to see the work of students who have turned their passion into a profession. The Spring Show features an array of work ranging from paintings and sculptures to projects in industrial and video design, such as video games, fashion design, car models, and animation design.

Academy of Art University graduates represents a widely diverse group of artists, architects, photographers, designers, filmmakers, technologists, animators, communicators, entrepreneurs, strategists, and problem-solvers.  The wide variety of work that this group of newly minted creative professionals has produced is a testament to the school’s 90 years of educational excellence and highlights its emphasis on developing new fusions of art and technology to enhance real-life applications.

Visitors to the exhibit will have a chance to explore some of the freshest, most innovative creations produced by students participating in the Academy’s 40+ areas of study.  The work produced demonstrates the school’s superior standards and the reason why so many Academy of Art graduates go on to enjoy successful careers in industries such as Advertising, Architecture, Industrial Design, Fashion Design, TV Production, Graphic Design, Video Game Development, and many other creative technical fields.

The History of Academy of Art University

Academy of Art University was founded in 1929 as the Academy of Advertising Art in San Francisco, and is celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2019.

Academy of Art University is currently the largest private art and design university in the United States and has earned an excellent reputation for producing some of the nation’s most successful professional artists and designers across an array of fields in the arts and entertainment industries.

Richard S. Stephens, professional in the advertising industry, founded the Academy of Art University with the initial goal of educating and training creative professionals to work in that industry, which was an emerging field that showed tremendous promise at that time in history.  Graphic Design, Photography, and other ancillary arts were also stressed as critical components of the advertising industry, and gradually, the school evolved to encompass a wider variety of fields of study.  In 1951, Stephens’ son took over as president of the school, which at that time was housed in a loft on Kearny Street.

During his tenure, the younger Stephens expanded Academy of Art University enrollment from a mere 35 students and developed the school into an accredited college with some 18,000 students enrolled in a wide variety of majors and specialties. Believing that secondary education is not an appropriate indicator of artistic talent, Stephens launched the practice of automatic admission into the school without the requirement of an artistic portfolio, a tradition that the school is still currently known for.

Over the years, the Academy of Art University expanded its offerings to serve industries such as TV production, Fashion Design, Industrial Design, and other industries that serve corporate needs such as advertising, branding and marketing.  Currently, many web-based applications such as Video Game Design are popular among Academy of Art students.  Digital developments such as Mobile Apps and Social Media have also influenced the fields of study and career options that are currently available at Academy of Art, a school that has consistently kept up with the many ways in which art and technology intersect in modern society.

Keeping Up with Modern Technology and Industry Demands

Currently, in its 90th year as one of the nation’s most respected private art institutions, Academy of Art was originally founded as a training ground for professionals engaged in creative advertising and marketing strategies. Today, with a widely expanded curriculum, the school continues to provide the most contemporary and relevant professional training for students interested in the many fields that support advertising, marketing, entertainment, and other industries that require and employ creative talent.

In addition to top-level industry-relevant courses taught by actual leaders in each industry, the Academy of Art University also offers hands-on professional agency experience for students while they develop their careers. The school has produced hundreds of talented graduates that have gone on to become renowned professionals in a variety of fields.  To further support the talent and visibility of their students, the school presents the Spring Show, showcasing the school’s best talent, and also promotes the work of Academy of Art students and alumni on their website.

The Academy of Art University is committed to diversity and to the study of art and design within a global context. Thanks to its focus on diversity and inclusion, along with its illustrious history of producing successful professionals in a variety of creative industries, the Academy of Art University is an incubator for a wide variety of creative professionals that serve the gamut of creative industries around the world.

Related: Academy of Art University Celebrates Anniversary by Highlighting 90 Years of Graphic Design