Joseph Girandola Named Art Academy of Cincinnati’s Next President
The Art Academy of Cincinnati’s Board of Trustees has named Joseph Girandola as the college’s next president. Girandola will assume office on August 1, 2019.
Girandola succeeds Mark Grote, who is retiring after one year as interim president and returning to serve on the college’s board.
No stranger to the arts, Girandola currently serves as the interim associate dean of graduate studies and research at the University of Cincinnati in the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. Prior, his roles included the Director of Graduate Studies for the School of Art at DAAP and director of the MFA program at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
During his tenure at DAAP, he sought and secured new external funding opportunities for creative research and was part of the steering committee for the University of Cincinnati’s 1819 Innovation Hub.
“Girandola brings not only the empathetic position of being a practicing artist, but also the experience of being a seasoned higher education administrator,” said Tysonn Betts, chair of the Art Academy’s board of trustees.
Bringing a Vision
His expertise is timely as the Art Academy, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary, recently launched major strategic initiatives to increase enrollment and transform its campus.
“My vision for the Art Academy’s next chapter is to become an open door for problem-solving in the city through the creative practice,” said Girandola. “Building upon its amazing history, the Art Academy will look to collaborate with all of the game-changing innovative entities in the region to provide its students with the best possible skills needed to survive in the global creative economy.”
When asked about his new role at the Art Academy, Girandola sees a team effort. “The tremendous students, alumni, Board of Trustees, faculty and staff will be partners in the journey to solidify the success of the Art Academy into the near and distant future.”
Read Girandola’s full Q&A here.
