Ringling College of Art and Design

School mission (as provided by the school):

Founded in 1931 by noted art collector, real estate magnate, and circus impresario John Ringling, the private, not-for-profit is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to confer the Bachelor of Fine Arts in 13 disciplines: Advertising Design, Computer Animation, Digital Filmmaking, Fine Arts, Game Art & Design, Graphic & Interactive Communication, Interior Design, Illustration, Motion Design, Painting, Photography & Digital Imaging, Printmaking, and Sculpture, and a Bachelor of Arts in the Business of Art & Design. Today, 1,368 students study here from 46 states, 44 countries, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, more than 60 percent of whom reside on the 50-acre residential campus. Its150 faculty members bring their broad backgrounds and professional experiences into the classroom. During the past five years, Ringling grew from six to 14 majors, added two art centers, opened the madeby retail sales gallery and boutique, saw the growth in fundraising for its Sarasota Museum of Art exceeding $12.1 million, and constructed three five-story buildings, two of which received GOLD LEED certification! With a better than 2:1 computer to student ratio, Ringling College is recognized as being among the best and most innovative visual arts colleges in the US as well as a leader in the use of technology in the arts. In 2011, U.S. News and World Report lauded Ringling as 'The Most Wired Campus in the U.S.' Each year since 2006, incoming first-year students receive a brand new Apple Macintosh notebook computer fully loaded with licensed software for use while enrolled at the College. In 2009, U.S. News and World Report featured Ringling College in its '2010 Americas Best Colleges Guide' and Imagine FX noted Ringling College as the #1 digital arts college program in the world. In 2006, Business Week named the College one of the top 60 Design Schools in the world and one of only 10 in the entire US. In March 2007, and again in November 2007, its Computer Animation program was ranked #1 in North America by the UK's acclaimed 3D World magazine. Ringling College students and alumni are heavily recruited throughout the country by a variety of outstanding organizations as being recognized for their superior art and design talents in a myriad of art and design competitions on the local, regional and national levels. In 2005, the College won one of only 60 National Gold ADDY awards out of 60,000 entries for its Admissions Catalog, which was designed entirely by students. In the past three years, the Society of Illustrators accepted 99 Ringling student works into its Scholarship Competition - more than any other art college in the country. Consistent wins in the Student Academy Award??, and the Angelo Donghia $30,000 interior design competition, as well as a host of other accolades have accelerated Ringling's reputation as a premier art and design institution. Our Verman Kimbrough Memorial Library is possibly the finest art library in the entire southeastern US, the College's Selby Gallery hosts professional art exhibitions, and the Crossley Gallery and other venues both on-campus and off provide extraordinary experiences for the public to witness Ringling's emerging artists' work. The College's Continuing Studies & Special Programs Office coordinates art lectures, workshops, community classes and travel programs, including the residential 4-week summer PreCollege program for high school Juniors and Seniors. Along with CSSP, there are several additional divisions of Ringling College of Art and Design designed to engage and enlighten community members on both the making and experiencing of art. These include the Sarasota Museum of Art, the Englewood Art Center, Longboat Key Center for the Arts, and the madeby retail boutique and sales gallery in Sarasota's Rosemary District.