FAA
Wanna get ahead this summer? Take a Gen Ed course in the arts!
We`ve got topics like intro to art, contemporary dance, and theatre arts, as well as urban sustainability and the history of rock music 🎶🎸
Check out more course info ➡️ link in bio!
Wanna get ahead this summer? Take a Gen Ed course in the arts!
We`ve got topics like intro to art, contemporary dance, and theatre arts, as well as urban sustainability and the history of rock music 🎶🎸
Check out more course info ➡️ link in bio!
🎉 Huge congratulations to Professor Akima Brackeen from the Illinois School of Architecture, recipient of the 2025–26 Lily Auchincloss Rome Prize in Architecture! 🏛️
Awarded by the American Academy in Rome, this prestigious fellowship supports visionary artists and scholars through an immersive residency in the heart of Rome. Professor Brackeen is one of 35 recipients selected from nearly 1,000 applicants worldwide.
This fall, she will join an interdisciplinary community on the Academy’s campus in Rome to continue her transformative work in architecture. @amacademyrome
Congrats, Professor Brackeen! @helloakima @archatillinois
Read more with the link in bio 🔗
#RomePrize #AmericanAcademyInRome #IllinoisArchitecture #WeDesign
🎉 Huge congratulations to Professor Akima Brackeen from the Illinois School of Architecture, recipient of the 2025–26 Lily Auchincloss Rome Prize in Architecture! 🏛️
Awarded by the American Academy in Rome, this prestigious fellowship supports visionary artists and scholars through an immersive residency in the heart of Rome. Professor Brackeen is one of 35 recipients selected from nearly 1,000 applicants worldwide.
This fall, she will join an interdisciplinary community on the Academy’s campus in Rome to continue her transformative work in architecture. @amacademyrome
Congrats, Professor Brackeen! @helloakima @archatillinois
Read more with the link in bio 🔗
#RomePrize #AmericanAcademyInRome #IllinoisArchitecture #WeDesign
🎭“Let yourself be the beginner again.” — Gianna Casanova, Lyric Theatre major
Why Gianna chose @lyrictheatreillinois?
✔️ Classical and contemporary training
✔️ Opportunities to perform in operas and musicals
✔️ A tight-knit, supportive cohort and faculty
✔️ World-class practice and performance spaces
Her days are packed with rehearsals, dance classes, studio sessions, and learning from peers and professors who truly care.
Advice to future majors: Come ready to learn, be curious, and soak it all in 🧡
@illinoismusic @krannertcenter
Video by @ad1tik
🎭“Let yourself be the beginner again.” — Gianna Casanova, Lyric Theatre major
Why Gianna chose @lyrictheatreillinois?
✔️ Classical and contemporary training
✔️ Opportunities to perform in operas and musicals
✔️ A tight-knit, supportive cohort and faculty
✔️ World-class practice and performance spaces
Her days are packed with rehearsals, dance classes, studio sessions, and learning from peers and professors who truly care.
Advice to future majors: Come ready to learn, be curious, and soak it all in 🧡
@illinoismusic @krannertcenter
Video by @ad1tik
Today is the last day of our I ❤️ the Arts student philanthropy month of giving. Join us INSIDE the Architecture Building from 11am-1pm for food and FAA swag to celebrate the close of our initiative. Together, we can make a difference and help support a student in need. Show your love for the arts now by making a gift at go.illinois.edu/heart-the-arts!
Today is the last day of our I ❤️ the Arts student philanthropy month of giving. Join us INSIDE the Architecture Building from 11am-1pm for food and FAA swag to celebrate the close of our initiative. Together, we can make a difference and help support a student in need. Show your love for the arts now by making a gift at go.illinois.edu/heart-the-arts!
Happy International Dance Day 🎉
Today we honor the universal language of movement alongside @danceatillinois.
On International Dance Day, we celebrate the power of dance to connect cultures, express emotion, and inspire change.
To our dancers, teachers, alumni, and friends:
Thank you for making our community vibrant, creative, and fearless. Today, we celebrate YOU!
#InternationalDanceDay #danceunitesus
Photo by Natalie Fiol
From "Khazan (Autumn)" by Banafsheh Amiri
Happy International Dance Day 🎉
Today we honor the universal language of movement alongside @danceatillinois.
On International Dance Day, we celebrate the power of dance to connect cultures, express emotion, and inspire change.
To our dancers, teachers, alumni, and friends:
Thank you for making our community vibrant, creative, and fearless. Today, we celebrate YOU!
#InternationalDanceDay #danceunitesus
Photo by Natalie Fiol
From "Khazan (Autumn)" by Banafsheh Amiri
🌿 New research led by landscape architecture professors William Sullivan and Bin Jiang reveals a powerful connection between green spaces and public safety. Their study—the first of its kind—shows that communities with more greenery experience significantly fewer fatal police shootings, especially in areas facing social and economic challenges. Read how thoughtful landscape design can shape safer, healthier neighborhoods.
@illinoislandarch
Learn more at the🔗 link in bio!
#LandscapeArchitecture #UrbanGreening #PublicSafety #CommunityDesign
🌿 New research led by landscape architecture professors William Sullivan and Bin Jiang reveals a powerful connection between green spaces and public safety. Their study—the first of its kind—shows that communities with more greenery experience significantly fewer fatal police shootings, especially in areas facing social and economic challenges. Read how thoughtful landscape design can shape safer, healthier neighborhoods.
@illinoislandarch
Learn more at the🔗 link in bio!
#LandscapeArchitecture #UrbanGreening #PublicSafety #CommunityDesign
Dance at Illinois alumna Leslie Cuyjet (BFA ’03) has been selected as a 2025 Guggenheim Fellow as part of the Foundation`s 100th year anniversary. This competitive honor was only presented to 198 exceptional individuals across 53 disciplines—selected from nearly 3,500 applicants.
Cuyjet, who is based out of Brooklyn, NY, has been choreographing and dancing in New York since 2004, collaborating and performing with other creators “on rooftops, good and bad floors, and alleyways; on stage, in film, art, on tour, and on the fly.” She is also the recipient of two Bessie Awards for her work, a top honor in the world of dance.
The Fellowship provides support for recipients to pursue independent work under what the Foundation calls “the freest possible conditions.” It empowers choreographers to explore bold ideas, push creative boundaries, and make meaningful contributions to the field of dance—something Cuyjet has been doing already for over a decade —without commercial or institutional constraints.
A huge congratulations to Leslie! We can`t wait to see what comes of this remarkable opportunity!
Read more in the link in bio! @danceatillinois @guggfellows
Dance at Illinois alumna Leslie Cuyjet (BFA ’03) has been selected as a 2025 Guggenheim Fellow as part of the Foundation`s 100th year anniversary. This competitive honor was only presented to 198 exceptional individuals across 53 disciplines—selected from nearly 3,500 applicants.
Cuyjet, who is based out of Brooklyn, NY, has been choreographing and dancing in New York since 2004, collaborating and performing with other creators “on rooftops, good and bad floors, and alleyways; on stage, in film, art, on tour, and on the fly.” She is also the recipient of two Bessie Awards for her work, a top honor in the world of dance.
The Fellowship provides support for recipients to pursue independent work under what the Foundation calls “the freest possible conditions.” It empowers choreographers to explore bold ideas, push creative boundaries, and make meaningful contributions to the field of dance—something Cuyjet has been doing already for over a decade —without commercial or institutional constraints.
A huge congratulations to Leslie! We can`t wait to see what comes of this remarkable opportunity!
Read more in the link in bio! @danceatillinois @guggfellows
Are you the recipient of a financial need-based scholarship? Over a third of Illinois students are here because they were provided with some form of need-based aid. Your gift can help make the difference between a student attending FAA at Illinois or having to decline enrollment due to financial constraints. Every gift counts. Will you make a gift today? go.illinois.edu/heart-the-arts
Are you the recipient of a financial need-based scholarship? Over a third of Illinois students are here because they were provided with some form of need-based aid. Your gift can help make the difference between a student attending FAA at Illinois or having to decline enrollment due to financial constraints. Every gift counts. Will you make a gift today? go.illinois.edu/heart-the-arts
BSSD
Learn more about Ezldean`s experience in the iVenture Accelerator!
“This summer, I, along with my clothing brand HAWA, was selected to participate in the iVenture Accelerator program at UIUC. In it, I was able to merge principles from my sustainable curriculum with real-world application! Ethical manufacturing and sustainable supply chains played a key role in helping me develop my business to where it’s at now, and courses with professors like Karin Hodgin Jones and Chiara Vincenzi helped to contextualize the development of my brand.
iVenture, along with my learning in Sustainable Design, has set the stage for me to not only be a great designer, but a conscious business owner as well. I look forward to further developing my business ambitions while pursuing a career in experiential design.”
Photo Credits:
Instagram: Photos via @iventureaccelerator
Facebook: Photos via @Origin Ventures Office of Entrepreneurship @giesbusiness
#GiesBusiness
#Originventuresofficeofentrepreneurship
#sustainableFashion
#EthicalFashion
#ethicalmanufacturing
#sustainablemanufacturing
#sustainablesupplychain
#sustainabledesign
#BSSD
Learn more about Ezldean`s experience in the iVenture Accelerator!
“This summer, I, along with my clothing brand HAWA, was selected to participate in the iVenture Accelerator program at UIUC. In it, I was able to merge principles from my sustainable curriculum with real-world application! Ethical manufacturing and sustainable supply chains played a key role in helping me develop my business to where it’s at now, and courses with professors like Karin Hodgin Jones and Chiara Vincenzi helped to contextualize the development of my brand.
iVenture, along with my learning in Sustainable Design, has set the stage for me to not only be a great designer, but a conscious business owner as well. I look forward to further developing my business ambitions while pursuing a career in experiential design.”
Photo Credits:
Instagram: Photos via @iventureaccelerator
Facebook: Photos via @Origin Ventures Office of Entrepreneurship @giesbusiness
#GiesBusiness
#Originventuresofficeofentrepreneurship
#sustainableFashion
#EthicalFashion
#ethicalmanufacturing
#sustainablemanufacturing
#sustainablesupplychain
#sustainabledesign
#BSSD
Describing her role and responsibilities, Leilany shares her experience as a Fish and Feathers Intern. “This summer, I am working as a Fish and Feathers Intern at Indiana Dunes National Park through a partnership with Environment for the Americas and the National Park Service. As an intern, my focus is on community engagement and leading interpretive and educational programs centered around birding, fishing, and other environmental programs. This includes leading birding walks, hosting pop-ups on the beach focused on invasive aquatic species, teaching about the unique ecology and geology of Indiana Dunes, and spending time on the beach interacting with visitors and educating them about the importance of protecting our dunes.
As an interpreter, the most rewarding aspect of my job is having the opportunity to connect people of all ages to nature and being able to help them form positive and sustainable relationships with the environment. Through this internship, I have gained valuable hands-on experience with community engagement and knowledge of the natural world through learning about the unique ecological landscape of Indiana Dunes. These are skills I hope to apply to future projects as I continue my career studying Sustainable Design”.
Describing her role and responsibilities, Leilany shares her experience as a Fish and Feathers Intern. “This summer, I am working as a Fish and Feathers Intern at Indiana Dunes National Park through a partnership with Environment for the Americas and the National Park Service. As an intern, my focus is on community engagement and leading interpretive and educational programs centered around birding, fishing, and other environmental programs. This includes leading birding walks, hosting pop-ups on the beach focused on invasive aquatic species, teaching about the unique ecology and geology of Indiana Dunes, and spending time on the beach interacting with visitors and educating them about the importance of protecting our dunes.
As an interpreter, the most rewarding aspect of my job is having the opportunity to connect people of all ages to nature and being able to help them form positive and sustainable relationships with the environment. Through this internship, I have gained valuable hands-on experience with community engagement and knowledge of the natural world through learning about the unique ecological landscape of Indiana Dunes. These are skills I hope to apply to future projects as I continue my career studying Sustainable Design”.
Jasmine He received a Fall 2024 BSSD Opportunity Scholarship for the creation of a mixed media short film titled "Bundle Up Baby", which follows two friends bundling up for a chilly day. With the scholarship, Jasmine was able to purchase film equipment to explore visual storytelling and experiment with stop motion and improvisational film-making techniques. Jasmine is currently in the editing phase of this project.
Jasmine He received a Fall 2024 BSSD Opportunity Scholarship for the creation of a mixed media short film titled "Bundle Up Baby", which follows two friends bundling up for a chilly day. With the scholarship, Jasmine was able to purchase film equipment to explore visual storytelling and experiment with stop motion and improvisational film-making techniques. Jasmine is currently in the editing phase of this project.
Jasper used their Opportunity Scholarship to explore the feasibility of mycelium ink extraction. Jasper was able to culture locally adapted species of Coprinus spp. And Ganoderma lucidum fungi, but ink production proved to be a challenge. Following experimental cultivating tests, Jasper found that the target fungi grew well with grain spawn, while the fungus did not grow as well as expected in hardwood culture medium. Jasper continues to work on the ink extraction project and has cultivated a crew of researchers and professors to work on this project and an additional mycelium textile project.
Additionally, Jasper was able to share their mycelium magic by educating students in ARTD 326 Sustainability and Manufacturing on techniques for mycelium culture for class projects in collaboration with Professor Savio Mukacharayil.
Jasper used their Opportunity Scholarship to explore the feasibility of mycelium ink extraction. Jasper was able to culture locally adapted species of Coprinus spp. And Ganoderma lucidum fungi, but ink production proved to be a challenge. Following experimental cultivating tests, Jasper found that the target fungi grew well with grain spawn, while the fungus did not grow as well as expected in hardwood culture medium. Jasper continues to work on the ink extraction project and has cultivated a crew of researchers and professors to work on this project and an additional mycelium textile project.
Additionally, Jasper was able to share their mycelium magic by educating students in ARTD 326 Sustainability and Manufacturing on techniques for mycelium culture for class projects in collaboration with Professor Savio Mukacharayil.
Happy 4th of July!
We hope you are enjoying a break this weekend!
We are also taking a long weekend away!
Sustainable Design Offices
will be closed
July 2 – 6
We’ll be back next week!
Happy 4th of July!
We hope you are enjoying a break this weekend!
We are also taking a long weekend away!
Sustainable Design Offices
will be closed
July 2 – 6
We’ll be back next week!
Lea used her opportunity scholarship to develop a solar powered server that will host a catalogue of sustainability focused books and resources for the Ricker Library. Her project included designing and construction of a 50W solar panel system, designs to mount the solar panel on the library building and a dedicated server that would host and serve the catalogue to users using only the solar power provided by the panel.
During this process, Lea worked toward approvals from the Architect of the University for ideal siting and permission to install the solar panel. She also created a low energy website by coding her catalogue tool using low emission coding strategies. “I plan on continuing this project next semester,” she said. “I hope to finally assemble the physical component and finalize the digital aspect, both in clarifying the purpose of this resource and implementing it.”
The project is ongoing, and Lea is looking for collaborators to continue the project and expand on its potential over the next year. If you wish to connect with Lea on this research, please email her at lch6[at]illinois.edu.
Lea used her opportunity scholarship to develop a solar powered server that will host a catalogue of sustainability focused books and resources for the Ricker Library. Her project included designing and construction of a 50W solar panel system, designs to mount the solar panel on the library building and a dedicated server that would host and serve the catalogue to users using only the solar power provided by the panel.
During this process, Lea worked toward approvals from the Architect of the University for ideal siting and permission to install the solar panel. She also created a low energy website by coding her catalogue tool using low emission coding strategies. “I plan on continuing this project next semester,” she said. “I hope to finally assemble the physical component and finalize the digital aspect, both in clarifying the purpose of this resource and implementing it.”
The project is ongoing, and Lea is looking for collaborators to continue the project and expand on its potential over the next year. If you wish to connect with Lea on this research, please email her at lch6[at]illinois.edu.
Faye describes her project as “InkGreen, is an attempt to make a difference in printer ink discarded in the environment by recycling old ink cartridges and making new products out of them. With the money that we got from the scholarship project, we spent a significant amount of it on prototyping materials for our markers and crayons. Some of the materials that we bought included new ink cartridges, marker shells, and a hot plate to melt our wax for crayons.”
“InkGreen, is an attempt to make a difference in printer ink discarded in the environment by recycling old ink cartridges and making new products out of them.”
For further information on how you can support InkGreen, please reach out to Faye.
Faye describes her project as “InkGreen, is an attempt to make a difference in printer ink discarded in the environment by recycling old ink cartridges and making new products out of them. With the money that we got from the scholarship project, we spent a significant amount of it on prototyping materials for our markers and crayons. Some of the materials that we bought included new ink cartridges, marker shells, and a hot plate to melt our wax for crayons.”
“InkGreen, is an attempt to make a difference in printer ink discarded in the environment by recycling old ink cartridges and making new products out of them.”
For further information on how you can support InkGreen, please reach out to Faye.
FAA 310: Professional Development
2 credit hours, Part of Term B
October 20 – December 10
Co-taught by Sustainable Design Director Karin Hodgin Jones and Program Coordinator Ashley Smart
This course focuses on tailoring written, verbal, and online presentations to targeted audiences. Students will develop an application package including resume, letter, LinkedIn profile, elevator pitch, interview skills, and website.
Open to any student in FAA who would like to develop resources to apply for internships, career opportunities or graduate school!
FAA 310: Professional Development
2 credit hours, Part of Term B
October 20 – December 10
Co-taught by Sustainable Design Director Karin Hodgin Jones and Program Coordinator Ashley Smart
This course focuses on tailoring written, verbal, and online presentations to targeted audiences. Students will develop an application package including resume, letter, LinkedIn profile, elevator pitch, interview skills, and website.
Open to any student in FAA who would like to develop resources to apply for internships, career opportunities or graduate school!