On behalf of the students and faculty at Parsons, I welcome you to the Sheila C. Johnson Design Center. This new space reflects beautifully the academic mission of the school.  In recent years, we have increased our focus on interdisciplinary engagement and collaboration as major themes of a Parsons education, but our “front door” certainly did not represent these aims to the students, faculty, or visitors. New School Trustee and Parsons Board Chair Sheila Johnson recognized this immediately and it is through her generosity that our new campus center was made possible.

It is not coincidental that this space is symbolic of the academic transformation underway at Parsons. We are in a new phase of designing the school itself.  We are realigning our programs so that students can move more fluidly between them.  We are building our extraordinary faculty and engaging them in new leadership roles.  We are placing a new emphasis on scholarship and research through the development of new graduate programs, exhibitions, publications, and symposia.

We envision this center as a vital new downtown destination for art and design exhibitions and programs. The mission of this programming reflects our academic vision - to demonstrate the intersections between art, design and social engagement. We welcome you to visit the center and enjoy these programs.