News

Inaugural class of Digital Media Arts and Construction Management programs included in ceremony

Media Contact:
Anna Cearley
acearley@newschoolarch.edu
Tel. 1-619-684-8791
Cell. 1-619-301-3701

For Immediate Release

San Diego—July 3, 2012—Commencement exercises were held on June 23 for the 2012 graduates of NewSchool of Architecture and Design (NSAD) at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif. For the first time, the graduation ceremony included students representing NSAD’s Digital Media Arts and Construction Management programs.

NSAD President Steve Altman, addressing the 137 students participating in the graduation ceremony, commended them for their work ethic and academic commitment. “As graduating classes, you distinguished yourselves by your commitment, creativity and results,” he said.

Commencement speaker Marvin Malecha, dean of the College of Design at North Carolina State University, spoke of the importance of being true to oneself. In his speech, “The Cadence of a Life in Design,” Dean Malecha told graduates that “what you design represents the deepest part of who you are. Work for your dreams with all the passion you have learned in the design studio. After all, this is the process by which you will design your own life.”

The ceremony included three students scheduled to finish their studies later this summer in two of NSAD’s recently-created programs. One of the students is completing the Master of Construction Management program, a fully online program started in 2011, and two others are from the Digital Media Arts program, which was established in 2009.

Graduates, staff and professionals were recognized with special awards presented during the commencement ceremony

• AIA Henry Adams Medal for outstanding academic performance and leadership:
• Richard Lyle Boatman, undergraduate valedictorian
• Lauren Pasion, undergraduate salutatorian
• Matthew James Gummow, graduate valedictorian
• Paul Hayes Taylor, graduate salutatorian
• Outstanding Design Award for the best final project:
• Brendan P. Coen, undergraduate student
• Zachary Smith, graduate student
• Alpha Rho Chi Medal for best overall contribution to NSAD:
• Lauren Pasion, undergraduate student
• Richard Welsh Distinguished Service Award:
• Charlene Alsbaugh, NSAD director of student affairs and Victor Parga, NSAD registrar/director of student services
• Alumnus of the Year:
• Christopher Bittner, AIA
• Manuel and Laura Rosen Professional Service Award:
  • Joseph O. Wong, FAIA, NCARB

Graduation-related events included a student project showcase and reception for families, members of the business community and the general public that was held the day before commencement. The showcase featured all the final thesis projects of graduates at the bachelor’s and master’s levels.

About NewSchool of Architecture and Design
NewSchool of Architecture and Design (NSAD), founded in 1980, is located in San Diego, California. NSAD is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). ACICS is listed as a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. NSAD’s Bachelor of Architecture, Master of Architecture and Executive Master of Architecture programs are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). NSAD also offers a pre-professional Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, a Bachelor of Science in Digital Media Arts, a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management, a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, a Master of Landscape Architecture, a Master of Construction Management and a Master of Science in Architecture. NSAD was ranked among the top 10 undergraduate architecture schools in the western United States, according to the DesignIntelligence report “America’s Best Architecture & Design Schools 2012.” For more information, visit www.NewSchoolArch.edu.