Ringling College Alumni

10/01/2026

Fine Arts faculty member Eszter Sziksz is landing her first solo museum exhibition at the Sarasota Art Museum (SAM)!

Opening October 18, 2026, Seeking... transforms the gallery into an immersive forest of translucent wax paper ribbons. Visitors will use magnifying glasses to uncover hidden philosophical questions embedded in the art, paired with an evocative soundscape.

Between teaching at Ringling, creating this site-specific installation, and recently earning a Fulbright U.S. Scholarship, Eszter continues to inspire our creative community.

Catch the exhibition at SAM from October 18, 2026, through April 4, 2027!

https://www.ringling.edu/news/08062026-eszterszikszsoloexhibition/

Ringling College Fine Arts faculty member Eszter Sziksz opens her first solo museum exhibition at Sarasota Art Museum on October 18, 2026.

09/29/2026

Shoutout to current Computer Animation student and Lazarus Scholar Jasmine McCoy ’28 for leading incoming freshmen in painting a beautiful vintage postcard mural at the Pines of Sarasota Senior Care facility. Jasmine’s design celebrates the facility's unique intergenerational community, which brings seniors and children together.
From leading resident art groups to giving back locally, our students continue to show how powerful art can be.

https://www.ringling.edu/news/09032026-lazarusscholarmuralproject/

09/24/2026

Always cool to see your alma mater making the news! Check out the full feature from FOX 13 News - Tampa Bay about our new 2D animation program below.

Ringling College of Art and Design is expanding its animation program in Sarasota by launching a dedicated 2D character animation degree. More Below 🔗⬇️

09/23/2026

An incredible new exhibition is coming to campus that you won't want to miss. Keith Haring: Lines in Motion opens January 19, 2027, showcasing more than 100 works exploring Haring's impact on art, design, and activism.

Best of all? It’s curated entirely by Ringling students, giving them hands-on professional experience with a major master exhibition.

It’s the perfect excuse to plan a trip back to Sarasota and visit campus!

09/16/2026

🎬 "Florida Man" conspiracies are coming to life in Sarasota! 🎬

This month, Ringling Film alum Ethan Gathman ’22 is bringing his debut mystery-horror feature, Jit, back to where it all began.

Co-written and directed with fellow grad Jorge Rodriguez ’22, this passion project started as a pitch deck in a Ringling classroom and has grown into an internationally premiering film!

Jit follows a desperate search for a missing brother, unraveling a wild conspiracy hidden just beneath the surface of the Sunshine State. The film is a true love letter to Florida and Ringling College, created alongside a massive crew of Ringling students and alumni (including Riley Cullather ’27, Troy Logan ’22, and star Alex Correa).

"They were clever and relentless... the kind of students who never waited for permission to go make something," says Film Department Head Patrick Alexander. "I could not be proudest of them."

09/15/2026

A recent LinkedIn report ranked the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota area No. 4 nationwide on its 2026 "Cities on the Rise" list! 📈✨

Citing massive job growth and talent migration, our backyard is officially one of the fastest-growing professional hubs in the country.

At Ringling College, we are proud to fuel this growth. Through our Center for the Creative Economy, INDEX program, and dedicated Career Services, we give our students the real-world experience and recruiter connections they need to launch thriving creative careers right here in Southwest Florida. 🌴🎨

Alumni: Have you stayed in the Sarasota area to build your business or career? Drop a comment and tell us how the local creative scene is growing for you! 👇

09/10/2026

Admit it—we all have "the one that got away" sitting on an old college hard drive. 📁

💔Brutal deadlines meant cutting character arcs, shelving concept art, and trimming massive worlds just to survive final critique.

If you could finish that one student project today with your professional toolkit, what would it look like? 🛠️✨

Drop a pitch of your lost project in the comments. Dust off those old sketchbooks, tag your creative partners below, and make them confess their lost projects too! 👇

09/09/2026

Remember that feeling of unpacking your car, tracking down your new studio or lab mates, and immediately heading off campus to celebrate being back?

Whether you graduated 5 years ago or 50 years ago, we want to know: When you first got back after summer break, what were your absolute must-go Sarasota spots?

Did you immediately hit up Lido Beach for a sunset? Grab a bite at your favorite local diner? Or just stock up on sketchbooks?Drop your graduation year and your first-day-back traditions in the comments! 👇🌴

09/04/2026

Ringling College has partnered with St. Petersburg’s Salvador Dalí Museum to launch the Dalí Scholarship, awarding $30,000 to talented Florida high school artists! 🎨✨

Selected from the museum’s annual student surrealist art competitions, these incredible future creatives received a surprise announcement during their award ceremonies.

Join us in celebrating the inaugural Spring 2026 Dalí Scholarship Award Winners:
Finn Reddick (Pinellas County)
Juliana Woolard (Hillsborough County)
Zackary Aanensen (Hillsborough County)
Azzurra Marchese (Seminole County)

A special shoutout to Illustration Department Head Christina Hess and the Illustration faculty who served as judges for this first round. We love seeing our community support the next generation of Ringling artists!

09/03/2026

Ringling Alumni Spotlight: Elayna Sisson (’24, Illustration)

Ringling College alumni designs are everywhere—even in your daily routine! Every time you sanitize, moisturize, or light a favorite candle, you might be looking at the work of a Ringling College creator.

Meet Elayna Sisson! As an Associate Designer at Bath & Body Works, she creates playful, eye-catching package designs for home care products. Inspired by nature and vintage art, Elayna uses everything from Procreate to watercolor to spread joy through her whimsical patterns.

Next time you wash your hands, take a closer look... Were you enjoying Elayna's art today and didn't even know it?