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WHEN ONE CONSIDERS the current
state of the job market, law and medicine are
traditionally viewed as the most reliable fields
for impending college graduates. The general
consensus is that these positions provide guaranteed
success whereas more creative areas
of study essentially doom students to a life of
financial insecurity.
In reality, however, there are far more
opportunities for
today’s artists than
ever before. On
the national level, the arts and design industry
is growing at an unbelievably rapid pace. Due
partly to the development of computer technology,
the world has begun to embrace the
arts (and the high-tech tools used to create
them), resulting in improved opportunities for
those with a penchant for innovation.
“What is happening today is a total renaissance
of the art and design industry in terms
of its importance to our economy,” says Dr.
Larry Thompson, president of the Ringling
School of Art and Design in Sarasota. Aware
of the public’s misperception regarding creative
employment opportunities, he’s working
to debunk this myth.
“Dr. Thompson is one of the very first
leaders in higher education to grasp the connections
between art, design and business,” says Daniel H.
Pink, celebrated author of A Whole New Mind and Free Agent
Nation and Ringling’s 2004 commencement speaker.
“As a result,” Pink says, “he has been able to make a very
hard-headed case for the importance of design education for
a 21st century economy. Yet he’s done so without in any way
compromising the inherent value of the fine arts. He recognizes
that the broader goal is to prepare a new generation of
visual thinkers to take its place in society.”
Established by circus impresario John Ringling in 1931,
the school makes a distinct effort to prepare its students for
the professional world of art and
design. In addition to the specialized
training of its academic programs, all students first begin by
studying basic artistic styles, namely drawing.
Although he declares that Ringling (www.rsad.edu) boasts
technological resources rivaling that of MIT and CalTech,
Thompson believes that the old-fashioned skills of drawing
and painting are an essential part of artistic success. He views
these foundational classes as a necessary step in achieving
Ringling’s goal to develop student talent to its greatest potential,
believing that studying the basics gives them a competitive
edge. “If you can’t see it and have that artist’s perspective
in these industries, you’re not hire-able,” he says.
Originally a math major, Thompson went on to earn his
Master’s in educational administration and counseling before
attending law school at Ohio State University. He earned a
position at a major Columbus law firm, still working closely
with OSU. Then, when his alma mater hired a new president,
Thompson took up the post of special assistant to the president.
When
he did leave
Ohio State,
Thompson
became director
and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
in Cleveland, using his education background to develop
the project. After four years, once construction was set to
begin, Thompson took yet another job, this time as president
and CEO of the Flint Cultural Center in Michigan, before
finally joining Ringling.
Despite an eclectic background, Thompson’s focus has
always been on education. Because his late father was such
a proponent of education, Thompson inherited this passion.
Now, as president of Ringling, he seeks to instill that drive in
students and faculty alike.
The school’s sense of artistry and a professional discipline
are among the curriculum’s strongest points, according to
Thompson. By teaching students how to foster their passion
in a deadline-driven professional environment, Ringling realistically
prepares them for life after graduation, empowering
them with skills vital to success in the job market.
As a result, Ringling has risen rapidly as a significant
source for employers. The school’s students are routinely
recruited by some of the most renowned companies in the
world, including Pixar, DreamWorks, Sony, Hallmark
and American Greetings.
In addition, Ringling’s graduates have accumulated
their own array of accolades, lending further credibility
to their alma mater. From Academy Awards to Addy
Awards, the gifted students have been recognized for
their immense talent. For example, recent graduate
Meng Vue received a 2006 Silver Medal Student Academy
Award for his senior animation thesis project, The
Dancing Thief. This national competition is conducted
by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,
in which over 300 college and university film students
each year compete for awards and cash grants. And
just last year, the school’s annual catalog, which is
designed and published entirely by students, defeated
numerous big-name advertisers to win a national Gold
Addy.
“We entrust our major marketing piece to our
students,” Thompson says. “That’s how much faith we
have in them.”
While Ringling’s students may be among the
nation’s most promising artists, Thompson credits the
school’s faculty, which numbers 300, and staff. “Our
faculty is awesome,” he proudly declares. “It’s amazing
the amount of time they will spend.” This first-rate
faculty, which Thompson believes is the institution’s
greatest strength, is responsible in large part for
Ringling’s popularity and reputation. The school’s
meteoric ascent has positioned it among the top 10
arts and design colleges in the country, he says.
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“As a leader,” author Pink says, “(Thompson) is a rare
combination: He’s a visionary with a very deft practical touch.
That’s why under his leadership, Ringling has vaulted to the
top ranks of American art and design schools.”
“Now, all of a sudden, we are competing with institutions
that have much more money – especially in terms of scholarship
money that they can give to students,” says Thompson.
This lack of funding is Ringling’s most pressing issue, he says.
While comparable institutions have endowments of
over $250 million, Ringling’s stands at a modest $15 million.
Therefore, despite raising a record $9 million last year,
Thompson’s goal ultimately is to accumulate an endowment
of at least $100 million. “When I started here, six or seven
years ago, the endowment was less than $3 million,” he says.
Meanwhile, the school, which has an annual operating budworld,
including Pixar, DreamWorks, Sony, Hallmark
Dancing Thief
just last year, the school’s annual catalog, which is get of about $31 million, is currently in
the midst of an extensive developmental
stage to ensure that the campus
is prepared for Ringling’s growth.
Thompson’s goal is to increase the
school’s student body by an additional
400 to 500 students in the next
few years, reaching a total enrollment
of 1,500.
“One of the ways we’re trying to
make this growth happen is through
enhancing the programs we currently
have,” he says, “but also by adding
new and more variety in terms of options
for students.”
In addition to its Bachelor of Fine
Arts degree in six
disciplines – computer
animation;
fine arts; graphic
and interactive
communication;
illustration;
interior design;
and photography
and digital imaging
– Ringling is
adding two new
majors. Digital
film and game art
and design are
available this fall.
Four new minors
will give students a
better chance to diversify their training.
To accommodate the growing
student body, Ringling recently added
another building to its campus of 69
buildings on its 35-acre site in north
Sarasota. The new student center is
outfitted with all the latest technology,
making it ideal for computer animation
studies. The five-story building provides
space for two floors of residence halls,
student offices and a student life center.
Another Thompson objective is to
raise Ringling’s profile. “In many ways,
this school may be better known in New
York and Los Angeles than in Florida,”
he says. “We really need to get the word
out about what is happening.”
To that end, Ringling is hosting the
Sarasota International Design Summit,
scheduled October 9-11. This event
aims to promote the industry (and the
school) on a large scale, educating the
professional world on the vital role of
the design industry. It also will mark
Ringling’s 75th anniversary. Earning
international attention, the Summit is
attracting professionals from all types
of industries.
“We have the knowledge base, we
have the interest and we have the vision
for how this world is being transformed
in terms of these kinds of design areas,”
says Thompson. “It’s not just about
educating our students; it’s educating
the community and the world.” 
Featuring a
number of speakers
from a wide range
of organizations
(including Target,
P&G and the Mayo
Clinic), the Summit
will demonstrate how
the implementation of
design principles has
enhanced the quality
and profitability of the
business world and
how it can apply to a
variety of fields.
“Each one of those
characters brings huge
experience,” says
Mary Craig, Ringling’s assistant director
of marketing and communications,
“and they manifest how design thinking
has transformed their organization,
their processes and their outcome.”
Among the topics discussed will be
the need for innovative approaches to
education of the arts. “This is the thing,
I believe, that we should really be focusing
on and developing and encouraging,
and unfortunately, in the school system,
we do everything we can to kill it,” says
Thompson, who will personally address
this issue at the Summit.
“For businesses to succeed and even
for our economy nationally to succeed,
that kind of creativity and innovation is
an absolutely critical component in this
country.”
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