Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) will open its doors to 10 Puerto Rican students whose educations were disrupted by the recent hurricanes in Puerto Rico by covering the students’ tuition and housing expenses. The MassArt Foundation is also launching a crowdfunding campaign with the goal of raising $25,000 for the students’ art supplies and winter clothing.
The ten students currently attend the School of Visual Arts and Design (Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico), a public art college accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art (NASAD).
“In light of recent events in Puerto Rico, we are so glad to provide art and design students from Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico, a fellow public art school, with an opportunity to continue their education,” said David Nelson, President of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. “We will continue to work with other schools across the U.S. to determine what we can all do to help the school and its students in the future.”
While Puerto Rico and Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico rebuild and make repairs, the students will be able to continue their art and design education.
“The hardship Puerto Rico has endured may not be permanent, but it definitely has me feeling like my academic growth has been halted,” said an anonymous student from Escuela de Artes. “Studying at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design would help me achieve my goals by allowing me to grow not only artistically but intellectually.”
The students will have support from MassArt’s counseling staff to aid in the transition. Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico will reopen later in 2018.
The website for the crowdfunding is bit.ly/2DTKRbT. For more information, visit massart.edu/puertorico.