Alumni
With more than 30,000 alumni representing over 80 countries, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s alumni community is a powerful network of artists, designers, scholars, innovators, and cultural leaders across disciplines and industries.
The mission of Alumni Engagement is to cultivate lifelong connections that amplify the collective impact of SAIC alumni and advance the School's role as a global catalyst for creativity, critical inquiry, and social change.
Rooted in SAIC's 160-year legacy of experimentation, interdisciplinary thinking, and individual creative vision, we champion a vibrant alumni community that connects people, ideas, and opportunities across generations and geographies. We celebrate alumni achievements, foster meaningful collaboration, and create pathways for alumni to contribute to the future of SAIC and the creative fields it influences.
The Office of Alumni Engagement works to:
- Strengthen our global network of alumni through regular events, communications, and volunteer opportunities.
- Foster meaningful connections between SAIC community members (including alums, students, faculty, and partners) from across different industries, generations, and regions around the world.
- Elevate alumni voices, accomplishments, and perspectives as essential to SAIC's future and influence.
- Create opportunities for lifelong learning, mentorship, collaboration, and professional growth.
- Inspire alumni participation in advancing SAIC's mission through advocacy, volunteerism, philanthropy, and community engagement.
Get Involved
We are always looking for alums interested in engaging in a range of opportunities to give back to SAIC students, from giving career talks and workshops to supporting fundraising efforts, joining Admissions events, sharing your stories, and more.
Want to gather SAIC alums in your area? Join one of our current regional alumni groups or reach out to us to share your idea. Alumni Engagement is able to provide limited support for local alumni events.
Every year, alums have the opportunity to participate in activities and programs hosted by various offices like Alumni Engagement, Career and Professional Experience (CAPX), and Admissions.
We believe in the power of art, design, and innovation to transform our world. Your gift to SAIC directly supports the next generation of artists and makers. Students are at the center of our philanthropic priorities of affordability and accessibility, wellness, and career preparedness.
Launching Creative Careers
Explore the professional world of art and design alongside some of SAIC's distinguished alums—a community who works around the globe and across industries, at companies like Apple, Disney, Google, CHANEL, Mattel, and many more.
Start Here, Go Anywhere
Start Here, Go Anywhere
Our alumni work at Disney, Google, CHANEL, Mattel, and the Guggenheim, around the globe and across industries. They work as creative directors, teachers, product designers, curators, entrepreneurs, and so much more.
Disney
Moana, Frozen, Wreck-it-Ralph, and more: As an animator and head of animation on many projects at Disney, Amy Lawson Smeed (BFA 1997) is behind the scenes of your favorite movies.
Mattel
Minh-Tam Nguyen (BFA 2017) works as a senior face designer for Mattel and has become an advocate for diverse representation in toy design. “Now I get to be a part of that change, so that's just a really fulfilling full-circle part of my life,” she said.
Microsoft
When SAIC alum Spencer Davis (BFA 2011) wanted to transfer to SAIC, his parents asked him to make a presentation about career paths that would be open to him as a graduate of an art and design school. He outlined possible futures, but his parents could not imagine where he’s ended up, as a successful principal design lead at Microsoft, working on operating systems and virtual reality headsets.
What Is This?
Career & Professional Experience (CAPX)
At SAIC, we're here to support your creative journey wherever it takes you. Alums have lifelong access to services supported by our Career and Professional Experiences office, including Handshake. To request access, email handshake-support@saic.edu with your name, graduation year, and SAIC ID number (if available).
In the News
SAIC Alums Make History
Our alumni have gone on to shape the world as artists, designers, and scholars. Learn more about our notable alumni.