About Us

Renowned and caring faculty and staff

At The University of Akron’s Myers School of Art, students study side-by-side with talented and caring faculty members who are committed to helping turn aspirations into accomplishments.

We have 18 full-time faculty members with about the same number of part-time faculty members. We also have seven full-time staff professionals, including a dedicated adviser to assist our students.

• Doing and teaching — Our faculty members are professional practicing artists/designers/historians, in addition to serving students as educators. We are engaged in the world of art and design nationally and internationally, and share our expertise with students at the highest and most current levels.

• Learn more about our faculty and staff.

Our focus and commitment

The mission of the Mary Schiller Myers School of Art at The University of Akron is to provide high quality education in the fine arts, art history, design, and art education. We provide excellence in teaching, research, and community service, contributing to the visual culture of the region and beyond.

Undergraduate student success is our focus. We are committed to:

• maintaining an open enrollment policy that welcomes all students interested in a career in art and design and/or in enriching their lives through the visual arts.

• engaging our students in the world of art and design beyond the classroom;

• helping our graduates become successful professionals and leaders in the local and global cultural communities of the 21^st century;

• sustaining a learning environment and an approach to teaching that can help every student realize his or her creative and intellectual potential in the visual arts;

• encouraging and rewarding continuing growth of faculty members as artists, scholars, and teachers;

• sharing our expertise and creative and intellectual resources to benefit of the broader campus and community.

Fine facilities

Folk Hall, home of the Myers School of Art, was once a Cadillac auto dealership, complete with spacious showrooms and service bays. Now completely remodeled, it is among the largest academic art facilities in the region. A 3D tour of the building is available here.

Folk Hall houses the Emily Davis Gallery, the Student Projects Gallery, an auditorium, administrative and faculty offices, two classrooms, 28 studios, the Visual Resource Center, the Graphic Services Center, and the William Hogarth Seminar Room.

• 28 Studios — Studios are dedicated to every area, with excellent equipment and technology throughout.

• Emily Davis Gallery — In addition to exhibiting works by faculty and students, this renowned gallery in Folk Hall showcases work and lectures by visiting contemporary artists who are acclaimed nationally and internationally. Folk Hall also features the Projects Gallery for students’ experimental works.

• design x nine — One of seven graphic design studios in Folk Hall, design x nine enables outstanding students to work with real clients, printers, service bureaus and others in the field. Design x nine has won national and international awards, The studio’s name comes from the nine outstanding seniors chosen for it each year. The students hone their design skills, business savvy, technical knowledge, teamwork abilities and other talents they need to succeed in the graphic design field. 
  
  
• M Lab — Located in Folk Hall Room 135, the innovation lab provides the opportunity to allow for innovative problem solutions to support the entire curriculum of the school and grant the distinct privilege to work on cutting edge technology curated and operated by our research faculty. Equipment includes a 33" x 45" Laser Cutter, 2 3D printers, a 48" vinyl cutter, a 3D scanner and 2 Letterpresses. 

Stellar visiting artists, residencies, lecture series

Frequent residencies and lectures bring stellar guest artists into Folk Hall to share their creativity, talents and expertise with students and faculty.

• Current students can learn more about our lecture series, residencies, and visiting artists here.
  
  
• Find a list of past residencies here.

More opportunities beyond the classroom

A worthwhile college experience is much more than classrooms, books and exams. Our students are encouraged to experience new, vibrant and worthwhile artistic opportunities.

• Learn about our travel grants and opportunities, internships and co-op programs, free museum memberships, and what's close to campus.

The John and Barbara Gillette Study of the Arts Abroad Scholarship was established in 2014. In alternating years students travel overseas on a fully supported trip. In fall 2023, eight Myers School of Art students and two faculty members spent ten days in Germany studying the Bauhaus, a highly influential early 20th-century school of art and design. The group visited Bauhaus sites in Weimar, Dessau and Berlin—exploring art, history, culture, fashion and food along the way.

In October of 2022, The University of Akron’s Myers School of Art students attended the 59th Venice Biennale International Art exhibition held bi-annually in Venice, Italy. We have been very fortunate to be able to send a group to The Biennale every time it has been held since 2011. This group of 12 students and two faculty were from diverse majors and backgrounds including painting, graphic design, metalsmithing, and sculpture. The ancient city, the art from the old masters to the new, the food and travel was life changing for all. This would not have been possible without the generous support of our donors George and Karen Daverio. Molte grazie!