Ringling College of Art and Design

According to the school, for nearly 80 years Ringling College of Art and Design has cultivated the creative spirit in students from around the globe changing the way the world thinks about art and design and shattering the myth of the starving artist. \r\n\r\nFounded 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.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe College’s rigorous curriculum engages innovation and tradition through a strong, well-rounded, first-year program and a deep focus on the liberal arts. Its teaching model encourages its students to become globally aware scholar-practitioners who are well prepared to enter the job market and be successful in their chosen visual arts careers.\r\n\r\nToday, 1,368 students study here from 44 states and 45 countries, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands more than 60 percent of whom reside on the lush, subtropical, 50-acre residential campus. Its 150 talented faculty members-all active practicing artists, designers, and scholars-who bring their broad backgrounds and professional experiences into the classroom.\r\n\r\nRingling College has evolved into one of the most prestigious institutions of its kind in the United States, alongside the Rhode Island School of Design, Pratt Institute, Parsons School of Design, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. \r\n\r\nDuring the past five years, Ringling has undergone the greatest transformation in its history. The institution grew from six to 14 majors, added two art centers to its portfolio the Longboat Key Center for the Arts, and the Englewood Art Center opened the madeby retail sales gallery and boutique in downtown Sarasota, saw the growth in fundraising for its Sarasota Museum of Art exceed $12.1 million, and constructed three five-story buildings, two of which opened in 2009 and have received GOLD LEED certification! \r\n\r\nWith a better than 2.2:1 computer to student ratio, Ringling College is recognized as being among the best and most innovative visual arts colleges in the United States as well as a leader in the use of technology in the arts.\r\n\r\nEach year since 2006, thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, incoming first-year students receive a brand, new Apple Macintosh notebook computer fully loaded with licensed software they can use while they are students at the College.\r\n\r\nRingling College students and alumni are heavily recruited throughout the country by a wide variety of outstanding organizations and they are often recognized for their superior art and design talents in myriad of art and design competitions on the local, regional and national levels. In 2005, for example, 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. \r\n\r\nIn the past three years, the Society of Illustrators accepted 99 Ringling student works into its