Teaching creative thinking starts to trickle up to colleges

Art and Money Flow (Masichismtango, C. Commons)

Elective teachers can take heart at this news.  As public school budgets are walking a thin line and looking at cutting "non-essential" programs,  the Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, FL has a new BA program, which the school believes may be "the first of its kind".  It combines that melds business school and art school.  Ringling says the proogram is for for students who will enter a variety of careers, including law and banking and general management.

"Individuals who can have great creative ideas, and at the same time be able to organize, plan, and successfully lead and manage others, are going to be a valuable commodity," says Dr.
Larry R. Thompson, the college's president.

The new program, dubbed The Business of Art and Design, "is the first to integrate the study of business and the study of studio art and design -- marrying the right and left brain into one practice. With a solid grounding of business skills, an understanding of the creative process, the reputation of a world-class art and design institution, and the ability to work effectively with other creative individuals, successful students will be able to take advantage of design concepts and design practice as integrated parts of strategic planning, as well as leverage learned leadership skills with the confidence to think creatively themselves to realize their own visions of success," explains Dr.
Wanda V. Chavez, lead faculty member of the new program.

The program is a four-year curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Arts Degree in The Business of Art and Design.

Cut art in public school?  No way.  Art is preparing them to be future business leaders.