IU School of Art and Design names inaugural dean, Peg Faimon of Miami University
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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Following an international search, Peg Faimon, professor and chair of the Department of Art at Miami University, has been appointed dean of the new IU School of Art and Design in the College of Arts and Sciences, pending formal approval by the Indiana University Board of Trustees at its business meeting Friday. IU Bloomington Provost and Executive Vice President Lauren Robel announced the decision today during the academic affairs committee meeting. Faimon is expected to begin her new role July 1.
An award-winning graphic designer, Faimon received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Indiana University, where she graduated summa cum laude and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She received her Master of Fine Arts from Yale University, where she was honored with the Norman Ives Memorial Award.
"We're so fortunate to be launching this new school with Peg Faimon's extraordinary vision, talent and expertise," Robel said. "Peg worked closely with faculty at Miami University to move the program from a concentration to a stand-alone Bachelor of Fine Arts program, and I'm confident that she'll bring those collaborative, creative skills to Indiana University Bloomington."
Faimon also collaborated with the faculty to create a Master of Fine Arts with a concentration in experience design, which was implemented in the fall of 2014. A new minor in graphic design was implemented in the spring of 2015. As chair of the Department of Art in the College of Creative Arts at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, Faimon has overseen the vision, strategy and management of a department with four degree programs and seven minors in the areas of studio arts, graphic design, art history and art education. The department has 250 students majoring in its programs and approximately 30 staff, faculty and instructors.
"As a design educator and author, internationally recognized designer, and seasoned academic leader, Peg brings a perfect skill set to the role of inaugural dean," said Larry Singell, executive dean of IU's College of Arts and Sciences. "Her passion for multi-disciplinary design is very exciting to those of us in the College who see the potential for this school to develop meaningful connections across the disciplines, and her highly collaborative approach is a great match for the school's mission, conceived by our faculty and students in art, design and merchandising. With her leadership, the school is soon to be one of the epicenters of creative engagement and innovation on our campus and well beyond."
Faimon said that being in a school within the College of Arts and Sciences offers a great opportunity to connect art and design studies to IU's longstanding liberal arts tradition. Through curricular and co-curricular initiatives and entrepreneurial opportunities, she also plans to form strong connections to the departments, schools and units throughout campus; to other IU campuses; and to national and international institutions.
Previously, Faimon was co-director of the Armstrong Institute for Interactive Media Studies, lead faculty for the graphic design program and director of the Miami Design Collaborative. Her teaching responsibilities have included a wide variety of undergraduate courses in design and interdisciplinary coursework. She was named the Miami University School of Creative Arts Crossan Hayes Curry Distinguished Educator in 2000 and the Naus Family Faculty Scholar in 2008.
Faimon is also the author and designer of "Design Alliance: Uniting Print and Web Design to Create a Total Brand Presence" and the co-author, with John Weigand, of "The Nature of Design: How the Principles of Design Shape Our World -- From Graphics and Architecture to Interiors and Products," both published in 2003 by HOW Design Books. Her third book, "Designer's Guide to Business and Careers: How to Succeed On the Job or On Your Own," was published in 2009 by HOW Design Books, with the Kindle edition released in 2011. She is working on a fourth book project with her colleague Helen Armstrong.
Faimon said she's eager to build a strong network and culture with those both inside and outside the school who are interested in collaboration and connection.
"I look forward to working with the IU community to develop a shared vision that results in a positive and progressive impact," she said. "Such dynamic programs, both established and new, will send our graduates into the world where they can exponentially share those positive and powerful lessons."
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