11/18/2022
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the partnership between RIT and the Hochschule Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in Dessau, Germany. In the 25 years since the partnership started, 83 students from RIT’s College of Art and Design have studied abroad in Dessau and RIT has welcomed 50 students from Anhalt to Rochester.
We asked two of the students from RIT who went to Dessau, Germany at the Hochschule Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and had some interesting answers. Nicole Killian who is a BFA Graphic Design student and went to Dessau in 2004 said “I spread my wings in Dessau. Without a grasp of the language, I had to use different skills to communicate and explore. It put me in a place of vulnerability, and I had to learn how to ask for help and be humble. These are skills any designer and an inquisitive person needs to be culturally literate, collaborative, and compassionate”. Currently, Nicole runs a study abroad program, and her study abroad in 2004 has tremendously helped her excel in her current job of running the study abroad program.
On the other hand, we asked Taylor Clow one of our recent study abroad students who went to Dessau in 2017 in Industrial Design. Talor said that “While in Dessau, for me, it was not as much about the classes but about the people. I had the opportunity to experience design taught from a different lens than what I was used to in RIT, and it was incredible.! Currently, Taylor works as part of an international design team. Traveling for education, business and pleasure has allowed me to understand and work with a variety of people, cultures, and personalities. Dessau has been a life-changing experience for all our students and has helped them in their current careers. We look forward to our partnership with Dessau for many years to come.