feature / alumni / college-news
April 24, 2026
By Mike Winder
A GATHERING OF ICONS AT ARTCENTER
THE 2026 GALA CELEBRATED 50 YEARS OF HILLSIDE CAMPUS, HONORED THE MEMORIES OF ALYCE DE ROULET WILLIAMSON AND TIM KOBE, AND MORE
ArtCenter pulled out all the stops to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hillside Campus. On Saturday evening, the College welcomed esteemed members of the ArtCenter community—including design leaders from industry, trustees, a former president, and philanthropists dedicated to the future of art and design education—to the sculpture garden of its Hillside Campus to celebrate the icons that have shaped the College’s last five decades.
With many luminaries from the worlds of art and design in attendance, the star of the evening was arguably the College’s Hillside Campus itself, a dramatic modernist steel-and-glass bridge structure that spans an arroyo in the San Rafael Hills, just above the Rose Bowl. Designed by Craig Ellwood Associates, the campus opened in 1976 and has been designated a local historic landmark by the City of Pasadena.
“It evokes a sense of awe, leaving a lasting impression that extraordinary things are happening inside,” said President Karen Hofmann of the building that marked the move of the College from its Third Street campus in Los Angeles and was created to simulate a professional work environment for its students. “Five decades on, it continues to inspire us all.”
Salutes to the Ellwood building included a large timeline installation in the sculpture garden that encapsulated 50 years of momentous events. There was a screening of Where the Makers are Made, a video that showcased the creativity, innovation and impact that has emerged from alumni who studied at the College’s Hillside Campus. Also in attendance for the evening was Jim Tyler, project architect for the building, who went on to design Hillside’s South Wing expansion.
The Ellwood building evokes a sense of awe, leaving a lasting impression that extraordinary things are happening inside. Five decades on, it continues to inspire us all.
Karen Hofmann
President and CEO
![(L-R) Transportation Design alumni [insert name], [insert name], Preston Sanchez (BS 24), [insert name] and Mauro Diaz (BS 25) at ArtCenter](https://cms.artcenter.edu/image/24777)
A LEGACY OF ACHIEVEMENTS
“The iconic milestones we are celebrating tonight would not have been possible without the efforts of so many people over the 96-year history of the College,” said Hofmann before touching on some of the achievements of the College’s five past presidents.
In 1930, ArtCenter’s first president, Tink Adams, co-founded the ArtCenter School, as it was then called, on Seventh Street in Los Angeles “with just eight students and 12 instructors” and a dream of “establishing an art and design school that provides real-world skills to talented students, taught by industry professionals,” said Hofmann.
The College’s second president, Don Kubly, provided leadership during ArtCenter’s Third Street Campus era, said Hofmann, which included fundraising that paved the way for the College’s purchase of the Hillside Campus site in Pasadena and the commissioning of Craig Ellwood Associates as the campus’ architectural firm.
Recognizing the importance of digital technology in the creative process, ArtCenter’s third president, David Brown, oversaw the building’s expansion with a new South Wing to house computer labs for the College's computer graphics program. “He also transformed an inner courtyard of the building into an art gallery named the Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery,” added Hofmann.
The College’s fourth president, Richard Koshalek, started ArtCenter’s South Campus expansion with the opening of the 950 building in downtown Pasadena. Under his tenure, Designmatters, the College's pioneering social innovation program that explores the power of art and design to act as a positive force in society, was established. “[Designmatters] has had a global impact and has positioned ArtCenter as a leader in design for social change,” said Hofmann.
ArtCenter’s fifth president, Lorne Buchman, continued the growth of the College’s South Campus facilities, introduced new academic programs, and launched the institution's online learning program. “[That program was] established before the pandemic and enabled us to make a smoother transition to online teaching and learning,” said Hofmann.
Hofmann then recounted several memorable moments from Hillside Campus’ past, including the Car Classic events—precursors to today’s Design Invitational events—held in the sculpture garden; the painting of the Keith Haring mural in 1989 for the second annual World AIDS Day, completed just 10 weeks before the artist’s passing; and the recent transformation of the Ahmanson Auditorium into a premier venue for the state-of-the-art cinematic screenings.
Alyce saw people; she believed in them. And if Alyce believed in you, you felt it immediately, and you rose to meet it.
Lorne M. Buchman
President Emeritus
ALYCE DE ROULET WILLIAMSON: A WOMAN OF CONNECTION, PURPOSE, AND IMPACT
Hofmann introduced one of the evening’s most moving moments: a touching posthumous tribute to trustee emeritus Alyce de Roulet Williamson. Williamson passed away last month at the age of 95, and several members of her family were in attendance. The Gala’s presenting sponsor, Williamson founded and was the long-serving president of ArtCenter100, a group of philanthropists and art and design enthusiasts that have raised millions to date for student scholarships.
To honor the memory of the art and design advocate, Hofmann welcomed to the stage Judy Brown, an ArtCenter100 board member and the wife of late president David Brown; and President Emeritus Lorne M. Buchman.
“When my husband, David Brown, and I joined the Art Center family in 1985 at the start of David's tenure as president, Alyce was one of the first people we met,” shared Brown. “She immediately became our partner and mentor as we learned how to navigate our new environment, not only at ArtCenter, but also the Pasadena community.”
"Alyce particularly loved meeting the scholarship students and seeing their work,” added Brown. “She had a gift for bringing people together to celebrate and uplift the things she loved, and she truly loved ArtCenter.”
Williamson’s love of being around creative people also left an impression with Buchman. “Alyce loved the students of ArtCenter,” he said. “Everything she did for the College—every question, every push, every act of generosity—grew out of that simple powerful instinct: Stay close to the energy of people making, discovering, [and] creating beauty.”
Buchman described Williamson’s “generosity of spirit” and said he admired the way she gave her attention “freely, abundantly and without calculation” but that she was also unafraid to ask the hard questions. Buchman told the attendees that he always found conversations with Williamson exhilarating, interactions he likened to an “intellectual jazz session” in which “you held on and hoped you were keeping up.”
“Through it all, what made it cohere, what made it matter, was her capacity to love,” said Buchman. “She saw people; she believed in them. And if Alyce believed in you, you felt it immediately, and you rose to meet it. It was inspiring, a little intimidating and, in the best sense, completely motivating.”
Hofmann then welcomed to the stage Terri Kohl, trustee emeritus and co-president of ArtCenter100, to speak about Williamson and the formation of ArtCenter100 on the occasion of the philanthropic group’s 40th anniversary.
“Alyce believed a small, cohesive group could be profoundly impactful,” said Kohl of Williamson’s decision to create ArtCenter100 after President Brown told her that the College needed her help raising funds for student scholarships. “‘100’ was not a grand number; it was practical. It was the number that fit comfortably into the faculty dining room.”
“Most importantly, it was a size that allowed people to know one another, to enjoy being together, and to have fun while doing something meaningful,” continued Kohl, who then listed a number of the inspired fundraisers that Williamson oversaw over the years, including the Imagination Balls. “Alyce knew how to celebrate, but she always kept her focus on what mattered most: connection, purpose, and impact.”
Tim established Eight Inc. with a very simple belief that creating meaningful human experiences can change the way we feel, the way we think and the way we go about human progress.
Wilhelm Oehl (BS 94)
Partner and Chief Experience Officer, Eight Inc.
TIM KOBE: A DESIGNER WHO GAVE FREELY AND GENEROUSLY
Another heartfelt tribute of the evening came from Wilhelm Oehl (BS 94), a partner and chief experience officer at Eight Inc., who shared a few words about his business partner and fellow alum Tim Kobe (BS 82), who passed away this past January. Kobe was a former ArtCenter trustee and the founder of the strategic design firm best known for designing the Apple Store experience.
Under the orange glow of several illuminated spheres suspended from the ceiling of the canopy, Oehl acknowledged the still raw feelings when it comes to talking about Kobe. “This is not without emotions, and I might choke a little here and there,” he said, before telling the story of how he met with Kobe at the suggestion of Jean Mitsunaga from ArtCenter’s Office of Career Development. Oehl recalled meeting Kobe in San Francisco and, at that first interview, realizing they had a lot in common—they dressed nearly identically and even had the same Mandarina black business bag. Or nearly the same. “He said, ‘Mine is a bit bigger,’” said Oehl, drawing a laugh from the audience.
“Tim established Eight Inc. with a very simple belief that creating meaningful human experiences can change the way we feel, the way we think and the way we go about human progress,” said Oehl, speaking of Kobe’s philosophy, which neatly complemented beliefs that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs had of putting tools in the hands of people.
Oehl shared that Eight Inc. was first put in touch with Apple thanks to fellow alum and then-Apple designer Andy Dreyfus (BFA 84), who asked them if they could help the computer maker by creating the staging for the launch of a product—a product that just happened to be the first generation iMac, those candy-colored computers from 1998 that heralded a new renaissance for the Cupertino firm.
“Tim's curiosity, his fearlessness, and his pursuit of excellence inspired generations of designers and collaborators, and changed how people experience the world around them,” said Oehl, who then ended his remarks by sharing several responses Eight Inc. received on LinkedIn after announcing Kobe’s death, including, “‘I know Tim had his imperfections, but his razor-sharp intellect, charisma, and rare ability to communicate with absolute clarity will always define what great leadership looks like to me. On top of that, he had an effortless ability to make us all laugh.’”
“And there's one more,” Oehl added, with a nod to Jobs’ famous ‘one more thing’ line, before reading one final comment. “‘You chose to share freely and generously. Travel well into the beyond. I’m sure you're already designing an experience master plan for the heavens.’”
Alyce believed a small, cohesive group could be profoundly impactful.
Terri Kohl
Trustee Emeritus and Co-president, ArtCenter 100
STRENGTHENING THE COMMUNITY
In addition to the celebration of Hillside’s 50th anniversary and the posthumous tributes to Williamson and Kobe, the Gala also marked the 25th anniversary of Designmatters with a presentation by the department’s executive director Jennifer May and Mariana Prieto (BS 12), a trustee and the director of Blue Horizons studio within Conservation International. It also recognized the 20th anniversary of the Colors, Materials and Trends Exploration Lab (CMTEL) with a presentation by former VP and chief of design at Nokia, Frank Nuovo (BS 86), who helped launch the facility in 2006 with a $2 million gift from Nokia.
Also on hand via a prerecorded video presentation was Bryan Nesbitt (BS 93), senior vice president of General Motors Global Design, who began by acknowledging Hillside Campus. “That building behind you is nothing short of a design masterpiece,” he said before recalling some of his personal memories of the College, included being driven up to the campus when he was only 11 years old by his father, who told him, “‘Son, if you want to design cars, this is the place you will need to be.’”
He then spoke to the 65 years in which GM has supported ArtCenter. “From the start, it wasn’t just a charitable contribution, it was an investment in the future of design,” said Nesbitt, adding that GM’s support for the College includes sponsored studios, scholarships, internships and programs that give students valuable experience working with design experts. “There is no substitute for learning from people leading in your dream job at the highest levels.” His video concluded with the announcement of a new GM-sponsored project with the College.
Another highlight of the evening was a presentation by Brian Beatt, president and COO of the Rusnak Auto Group, who shared details about a landmark public art installation that will be built on the site of the new Rusnak Porsche dealership on East Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. The installation—a 118-foot sculptural trellis designed by ArtCenter alum, instructor and artist Jason Pilarski—was inspired by concepts created by three ArtCenter students, Isaac Xu, Xiyu Chen and Brian White, and born from a DesignStorm led by faculty James Meraz, Michael Neumayr and Sarah Kang. A model of the installation was set up on the lawn of the sculpture garden for attendees to enjoy.
Adding a jovial touch to the evening was Los Angeles-based multimedia artist David Muller, whose Proto Typical exhibition runs through August 8 at Hillside’s Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery and features watercolors, drawings, temporary murals and installations revolving around his lifelong fascination with music. Muller was on hand throughout the evening, DJing music out of his Record Pavilion 2.0, an installation and functional record store set up in the exhibition.
But perhaps nobody captured the spirit of the evening quite like graduating student and this coming graduation’s Spring 2026 Valedictorian Jakub Zegzulka, who told the story of how he was accepted into ArtCenter but then lost financial support from his family due to the shuttering of the family business. “Because of scholarships like the one I received from ArtCenter100, and because of donors like you, I was given the chance to stay enrolled, to keep learning and become the designer I came here to be,” said Zegzulka. “That support allowed me to intern at Apple and Meta, to become the first-ever design intern at OpenAI, and to be recognized on the Forbes ’30 Under 30’ list. You didn’t just keep one student here—you strengthened an entire design community.”
The ArtCenter 2026 Gala was made possible through the extraordinary generosity of its sponsors: Presenting Sponsor Alyce de Roulet Williamson; Gold Sponsor Terri and Jerry Kohl; Silver Sponsors Adams/Boshnaick Charitable Fund, Ann Dobson Barrett, and Steve Hitter; and Supporting Sponsors Lorne Buchman and Rochelle Shapell, Bruce Heavin and Lynda Weinman, Karen Hofmann and Lisa Blair, Lockton, Merle Mullin, Prajna Murdaya, Mariana Prieto and Danny Alexander, Elisabeth A. Price, Rusnak Auto Group, Joe and Rebecca Tseng, and Genesis Design California.
