The year 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the incorporation
of The Alumni Society of School of Visual Arts. Formally established in 1972 (the 25th anniversary year of the College) to serve the professional and educational interests of SVA alumni and students, the society has now grown to include more than 30,000 alumni residing in over 50 countries around the globe. And with each new graduating class, the society's ranks grow by approximately 1,000 people.
As it has from the start, each year The Alumni Society staff and alumni volunteers put together a variety of programs and events—lectures, panels, workshops, exhibitions, awards, reunions and networking receptions. The society also produces publications that help SVA graduates connect with one another and with the College. The Alumni Society's programs now also include regional events, a monthly e-newsletter and a robust online presence that boasts more than 10,000 active members, including a LinkedIn group.
The College's reputation has been built in large part by the achievements of its alumni and The Alumni Society plays an essential role in furthering this reputation. Works by SVA fine arts alums are included in the collections of major museums and its artists are represented by important galleries around the world. SVA alumni are leaders in advertising, design, interactive media, illustration, photography and related disciplines. They can be found at film and animation studios, television networks and publishing houses. Many are freelancers or run their own companies. They have won Oscars, Emmys, CLIOs, NEA and Fulbright fellowships, countless film festival awards, and have garnered national and international press recognition. Still others extend SVA's tradition of educating artists by becoming teachers themselves. As the alumni ranks grow, the impact of its members on the world's culture and creative economies
increases as well.
Since before The Alumni Society was established, alumni have been directly involved with the College in various ways, including as faculty members, guest speakers and donors. Beginning in 1976, The Alumni Society expanded its programs to include an annual fund designed to raise money for scholarships and give alumni the opportunity to support the next generation of artists. This annual appeal continues, and the competitive scholarships it funds are juried by panels of alumni and are awarded to students from all majors at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Since 2001 the value of these scholarships has increased from a total of $5,000 given to a handful of students to over $115,000 awarded, in 2011, to more than 70 students. In addition, The Alumni Society offers alumni and friends of the College a way to establish named scholarships that target specific areas of study; there are now 19 such funds.
The current Alumni Society Board of Directors is made up of a dynamic group of SVA alumni and administrators who have successful careers in a wide range of creative fields and are passionate about developing an ever stronger sense of community. The Alumni Society has accomplished a great deal in four decades, and with its ever expanding membership
of enterprising creative individuals, the next 40 years would
appear to be promising indeed.
[Carrie Lincourt]
To learn more about The Alumni Society visit alumni.sva.edu, email alumni@sva.edu or call 212.592.2300.
