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Tech, Connects, and New Skillsets: Purchase Arts and Technology Grant

Updated: Oct 17

By Thomas Dachik


Students in the new media class “Special Projects in Tiny Computing” presented their projects to Professor Lee Tusman. (Photo via Purchase College website)


This past summer, Purchase College’s arts and technology program received a $500,000 grant from the Sherman Fairchild Foundation. A committee composed of faculty and administration is piecing together the plan to add new computers, arts festivals, advanced technology, a new library lab, and more.


Lee Tusman, associate professor of new media, and Cassandra Hooper, director of the School of Art and Design, worked collaboratively with directors from different academic and administrative divisions during an extensive application process.


Purchase has been awarded numerous other grants in the past, cumulating in close to $5 million just in the last four years, according to President Milagros Peña. However, Hooper says this grant, contrary to others, will have great influence across numerous programs at Purchase.


“This one is special because it presents the opportunity for us to work in a way that is truly cross-disciplinary,” Hooper said.


For instance, in the School of Art and Design, students are trained to work back and forth from “analog to digital methods.” Some new additions proposed in the grant include new computers, virtual reality equipment, augmented reality equipment, geospatial information systems, and a new lab in the library.


The plan to bring these new features to Purchase comes under a project known as TAPROOT - Technology in the Arts, intended to foster an expansive creative culture in which emerging technologies are strategically and intentionally integrated across the arts. Purchase will receive the funds from the grant incrementally over the next four years.


Professors of different departments across campus are currently collaborating and proposing ideas and suggestions as a part of a group known as the "faculty fellows," of which Tusman is a member. He has expressed excitement about working with these other faculty members to give professors the tools they need to learn and educate.


“Among many [things] that excite me are being able to do room-scale immersive surround projection and projectors capable of large-scale outdoor performance,” Tusman said.


Tusman is also looking forward to having new arts festivals at Purchase, which he says would include projects and exhibits Purchase has never seen before.


“Having the resources to host our own festival with new projects, collaborations and other [things] is especially exciting for me,” Tusman said.


Hooper feels this new technology will give students more outreach in networking and skill-building with other students, professors, and professionals.


“This grant will allow Art and Design students interested in expanding their work to new technological areas, specialized equipment, and collaborators from across campus,” Hooper said.


Hooper adds that even as director of the Art and Design school, she thinks she, too, has more to learn.


Cassandra Hooper laying out polymer plate prints with a student (Photo via Institute for Electronic Arts website)


“The grant promises opportunities to not only expand my own interdisciplinary practice but to also expand possibilities for my students,” Hooper said.


On Sept. 11, Peña announced her retirement at the end of the current academic school year. Earnest Lamb, provost and vice president of academic affairs, is also a primary figure in the management of this grant. Lamb says he is confident that Peña’s retirement will have “little to no impact” in delivering on the grant’s proposals.


“As long as we follow what we have, we’re golden,” Lamb said.


Lamb estimates that students will see the most immediate impacts and new additions as soon as this spring. He expressed that the grant committee was not aware of the funds they’d be receiving until later this summer, so the fall will serve as a planning period so the students can see new changes within the academic year.


“It’s gonna take some time,” Lamb admitted, “but we’ll hopefully get [everything] set up this semester so it will be operational in the spring.”



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