Jean G. Dahlgren named DCAD’s next president

You may not know the name Jean G. Dahlgren yet, but if you have an interest in the future of Wilmington, you soon will. Last week, Dahlgren was elected as the new president of the Delaware College of Art and Design after a nationwide search coordinated by AGB Search. She starts Aug. 1, following the term of DCAD’s interim president, John C. Hawkins.

Currently, Dahlgren serves as dean of undergraduate programs at Sage College of Albany in upstate New York. While at Sage, a school known for its graphic design program, Dahlgren was able to secure a $1.2 million donation for the campus art gallery, and was recognized by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

“As an artist and designer, I intimately understand the challenges involved in a life devoted to the arts,” Dahlgren said in a statement. “But challenges are where the opportunities lie, and I thoroughly enjoy and relish creating opportunities for young artists and designers and giving them the hope that they can pursue their passions and the tools that can enable them to make a good living doing so.”

Dahlgren will make her public DCAD debut when she delivers the keynote for DCAD’s 20th graduating class for at the Grand Opera House on the afternoon of May 7. Among the dignitaries joining her for the ceremony will be U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester and Wilmington City Council President Hanifa Shabazz.

“I also look forward to the opportunity to help DCAD play its pivotal role as a catalyst for the revitalization of downtown Wilmington,” said Dahlgren, “drawing students from all over the world and bringing vitality to the city and the Brandywine Valley, an area known for its world-class art and artists.”