August 25, 2025
ArtCenter College of Design Grants Emeriti Status to 11 of Its Distinguished Faculty and Department Chairs
New Faculty and Chair Emeriti, Including Two Posthumous Recipients, to be Honored at the 2025 ArtCenter Awards on Saturday, September 27
PASADENA, CA – ArtCenter College of Design will bestow the honorary titles of emeritus/a faculty and emeritus/a chair on 11 retired and former faculty and staff members, including two posthumous recipients, at the College’s upcoming 2025 ArtCenter Awards on Saturday, September 27. The distinction serves as a lasting tribute to the recipients’ immense contributions to the College as educators, administrators, artists and designers.
The individuals receiving the honorary title worked across a range of disciplines at the College, from Fine Art to Graphic Design to Transportation Design. Among them are seven alumni, including posthumous honorees Gary Meyer (BPA 59) and Gaylord Eckles (BS 70). Their collective expertise has shaped and guided hundreds of students into creative careers and their legacies continue to inspire.
This year’s ArtCenter chair emeriti are Wendy Adest (BFA 87), Laura Cooper and Stewart Reed (BS 69). This year’s faculty emeriti are Lita Albuquerque, Louis Danziger (48), Gaylord Eckles (BS 70) posthumous, Simon Johnston, Gloria Kondrup (MFA 93), Gary Meyer (BPA 59) posthumous, Ramone Muñoz (BFA 77; MFA 90) and Robert Schureman.
“The impact this group of individuals has had on ArtCenter, its community, and the thousands of students who have gone on to build distinguished careers is remarkable and immeasurable,” said ArtCenter President and CEO Karen Hofmann. “We are grateful for the vision, talent and passion they have brought to the College over the years, and it is an honor to recognize them as part of our history.”
The titles of chair emeritus/a and faculty emeritus/a hold a special distinction and affords the bearer lifelong privileges at the College. The significance of the upcoming ceremony is also special in that it marks the first time in ArtCenter history that it will award emeritus/a titles during the ArtCenter Awards ceremony, the College’s most prestigious evening.
“These new ArtCenter emeriti have inspired, challenged and guided generations of students,” said Provost Anne Burdick of the 11 honorees, whose average tenure at the College spanned more than 29 years. “When our alumni talk about the lessons that shaped their careers, they often begin with stories of these remarkable individuals.”
About the 2025 ArtCenter Awards
2025 ArtCenter Awards and Dinner
Saturday, September 27
6–9 p.m.
ArtCenter College of Design (South Campus)
Mullin Transportation Design Center
950 S Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA
Registration is required for this event. Please visit the event page to purchase a ticket or a table.
The 2025 ArtCenter Awards is a public ceremony and dinner held during the 2025 ArtCenter Alumni Reunion weekend. In addition to the bestowing of titles to its faculty emeriti, the event will also present eight Alumni Awards, including two Lifetime Achievement Awards, for the years 2023 and 2024.
For more information about the 2025 ArtCenter Alumni Reunion, including the ArtCenter Awards, please visit the event page.
For more information about ArtCenter College of Design and its faculty, visit artcenter.edu.
About ArtCenter College of Design
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, ArtCenter College of Design is a global leader in art and design education. ArtCenter offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide variety of industrial design disciplines as well as visual and applied arts. Renowned for both its ties to industry and its social impact initiatives, ArtCenter is the first design school to receive the United Nations’ Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status. Throughout the College’s long and storied history, ArtCenter alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live, and important issues in our society.
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