Rachel Genito and Jimmy Li, both BFA Communications Design ’26, were selected as finalists for scholarships from the Society of Illustrators. Genito was selected as a Zankel Scholarship finalist, while Li was selected as a Will Eisner Scholarship finalist.
The Daily Hub
A roundup of ideas and projects from around the Institute
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Xenobia Bailey, BFA Industrial Design ’77, and former faculty member Mendi Obadike (with partner Keith), were awarded a grant from the United States Artists (USA), a Chicago-based nonprofit. “The organization considers artists with singular artistic visions who have made an impact in their respective disciplines,” explains Hyperallergic.
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Fine Arts Civic Engagement Fellow Alex Strada was selected for the 2026 Pioneer Works Residency.
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Alanna Jaworski, BArch ’08, was named associate principal at Union Studio Architecture & Community Design. “Alanna Jaworski has been at the forefront of some of our most meaningful affordable and supportive housing work, from our first affordable passive house project to the innovative community at Child Farm on Martha’s Vineyard.”
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Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts, associate professor of writing, was appointed as the inaugural Curator-in-Residence of the Weeksville Heritage Center. “As a curator-in-residence, Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts’ work is bound to elicit feelings related to the importance of land, place and legacy in our lives,” said Dr. Raymond Codrington, president and chief executive officer of Weeksville Heritage Center.
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TheyDream by William David Caballero, BFA Digital Arts ’06, was featured in a list of “Latine Films to Look Out for at Sundance 2026” by Remezcla.
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Jean Shin, adjunct professor – CCE of fine arts, was named a 2026 Creative Capital awardee. The grants will provide $2.9 million to 109 artists in all 50 states.
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Kristin Mallison, BFA Fashion Design ’16, was featured in Teen Vogue. “I’ve always focused on upcycling and repurposing materials because I went to the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and their fashion program really pushed for recycling,” she said.
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Pratt Athletics celebrated the academic achievements of student-athletes, noting that the cumulative GPA across teams was 3.52 for the fall semester.
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Zhihan Qian, MFA Communications Design ’23, was profiled in Design Scene. “Few designers use their commercial work as research material for cultural critique. Qian does. By day, she creates brand identities for fashion and retail clients. By night and on weekends, she makes books that dissect how designed systems encode power and exclusion. The approach is rare: treating professional practice not as separate from critical work, but as the evidence base for it.”
More Pratt Institute News
Leading by Example
Spencer Giuliano, BArch ’26, thrives on the soccer field and in the studio, all while helping fellow student-athletes balance the demands of both worlds.
Designing Her Way to Her Dream Job
From Pratt Institute News
Recent alumna Renata Dominguez always knew she wanted to work in design. Now, just one year post-grad, she’s thriving at one of the biggest international branding agencies.
Seeing the City: Tours, Talks, and More
From Pratt Institute News
This fall in New York City, students went to the newly renovated Frick, explored innovative materials at a circular design brand, and heard from famed director Spike Lee.