A memorial service for Timothy Lee App, a nationally celebrated painter and educator at MICA, will be held on Sunday, March 1 at the former Corpus Christi church in Bolton Hill, now known as The Basilica Oratory at Corpus Christi. He died on Nov. 19, after a long battle with cancer. He was 78.
MICA is kicking off its 200th anniversary yearlong celebration this month. This comes from MICA President Cecilia M. McCormick: “Since 1826, the Maryland Institute College of Art has been a place where creative courage, rigorous inquiry, and a commitment to social impact have shaped artists, designers, and educators who change the world. Today’s official launch of the bicentennial is rooted in our history – Charter Day – the milestone moment when the State of Maryland granted MICA its charter 200 years ago.”
MICA is kicking off a year-long bicentennial anniversary celebration in January as it comes out of the doldrums of the COVID pandemic. The pandemic hurt enrollment and the school’s finances, and reduced international student enrollment. Meanwhile, enrollment for the 2025-26 school year is up.
The Mt. Royal Station clock tower, after more than a century, has a new look. This past summer, MICA implemented the Safe Haven Clock Tower project as part of its Beacons of Light initiative.
As the 2024-25 academic year draws to a close, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) President Cecilia McCormick, J.D., reflected on a year shaped by artistic excellence, institutional momentum, and community-rooted innovation. From student achievements to strategic planning and neighborhood partnerships, the year was defined by both resurgence and reinvention.
The Maryland Higher Education Commission is forcing MICA to give up its planned interior design classes, complicating the school’s effort to offer new programs and overcome declining revenues. The commission administrator determined that MICA’s program was too similar to one offered by Morgan State University, although MICA leaders said it was not.
One of the things I love about Bolton Hill is having the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in our midst. The energy and creativity of our student neighbors, as well as the many opportunities to participate in MICA programs and events, add to the vitality of our neighborhood.
MICA President Cecelia McCormick, speaking at BHCA’s Feb. 4 meeting, said she is optimistic about the school’s growth in the aftermath of the pandemic that shut down classes, and then reduced enrollment upon re-opening. Based on the inquiries it has received so far, MICA expects an increase in enrollment next fall, she said.
If you live or work in Bolton Hill, you’re invited to MICA’s Weekend Kickoff reception to meet the school’s new president, Cecilia McCormick, at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27 at Lazarus Center,131 W North Avenue.
MICA has named Cecilia M. McCormick as the art school’s new president, following her six-month engagement as interim president. She replaces Sammy Hoi, who served nearly 10 years before announcing his retirement in January.
