Anchored by a $75 million matching gift from the Huang family, the new college places art, innovation and design at the heart of Vanderbilt's San Francisco campus
Vanderbilt University today announced plans to establish the Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang College of Art, Architecture and Design as a cornerstone of its San Francisco campus, made possible by a landmark $75 million matching gift from the Huang family. The gift already has generated additional philanthropic support, for a total investment thus far of over $100 million. The new college, led by an academic dean for which a national search has been initiated, will build on the nearly 120-year legacy of the California College of the Arts.
The Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang College of Art, Architecture and Design is envisioned as a hub for the creative fields that shape how we see, build and understand the world. The academic approach will be distinctive, leveraging the latest breakthroughs in advanced technology and grounding students in the foundational domains of art and architecture; developing technical mastery and visual sophistication through studio practice and design labs; and building business and technical fluency through innovation and engineering. Together, these elements will prepare students to lead across disciplines and industries, while contributing meaningfully to a rapidly evolving world through creativity and innovation.
Vanderbilt's aim is to establish a new intellectual environment in which artistic imagination, spatial reasoning, material experimentation and design practice become central modes of discovery, creation and innovation.
"San Francisco offers an extraordinary environment for learning across art, architecture, design and culture," Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. "With the Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang College of Art, Architecture and Design, Vanderbilt is positioning these branches of creation as the heart of our San Francisco campus. This college, together with additional academic programming under development, will prepare creative leaders to shape culture, industries and communities in San Francisco's thriving economy, nationally and around the world. In partnership with the city and surrounding community, we will blend Vanderbilt's distinctive excellence with San Francisco's distinctive excellence to build something truly remarkable, together."
A shared commitment to art and design in San Francisco
The Huang family's gift is animated by a belief that a great city needs a thriving creative life and that art and design belong at the center of San Francisco's next chapter. In an era defined by rapid technological change, the Huang family sees creative practice as one of innovation's most essential engines, and the family's investment is intended to demonstrate the importance of art and design to the city's culture, economy and civic identity, further catalyzing San Francisco's talent pipeline, entrepreneurial base and creative ecosystem.
"Technology expands what we can build. Art and design determine why we build it. Together they shape civilization. We are delighted to partner with Vanderbilt University to cultivate the next generation of creators and help San Francisco remain one of the world's great centers of creativity, innovation and culture," Jensen Huang said.
To that end, the family's gift is issuing an invitation to others to join and expand Vanderbilt's efforts in San Francisco. That invitation is already being answered: Vanderbilt has secured more than 40 percent of the funds needed to realize the full match by Dec. 31, 2028. These commitments will support the establishment and operation of the Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang College of Art, Architecture and Design and additional Vanderbilt academic programming in San Francisco.
Early investments supporting Vanderbilt University-San Francisco include:
- Katie, BS'97, and Matt Paige
- Jeff, BA'77, MS'79, and Marieke Rothschild
- Leah and Ben Spero
These pledged gifts include significant commitments from several anonymous donors and signal the breadth of support gathering behind Vanderbilt in the Bay Area, including gifts from leaders in the arts and creative community. Vanderbilt anticipates announcing several of these commitments in greater detail in the months ahead.
A college led by a dean, with programs across every level
Vanderbilt has launched a national search for the inaugural Katie and Matt Paige Dean of the Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang College of Art, Architecture and Design, who will report to Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver. The dean will shape the academic vision, establish industry and cultural partnerships, and position the college as a leading destination for education and research. Raver has appointed an advisory search committee to identify the college's founding leader.
The defining challenges of our time demand both technical expertise and creative imagination," Raver said. "The Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang College of Art, Architecture and Design will position art, architecture and design as essential partners in discovery, innovation and problem-solving. By bringing these disciplines together with Vanderbilt's strengths in research, engineering and entrepreneurship, we will educate students who can create, design and lead in ways that expand opportunity and enrich society."
Under the dean's leadership, the college will offer a suite of undergraduate and graduate programs, alongside community, precollegiate and lifelong learning offerings-subject to review by Vanderbilt faculty advisory committees and receipt of necessary regulatory approvals. Undergraduate programs will provide a rigorous foundation in art, architecture and design, developed through intensive studio practice and experiential learning that includes apprenticeships and internships, connecting the campus to San Francisco's cultural and innovation ecosystems and providing students with diverse career opportunities. Graduate programs will be studio-centered, research-oriented and career-driven, positioning students to expand and elevate their professional trajectories. Community arts, precollegiate and lifelong learning programs will serve creators of all ages and backgrounds.
Honoring CCA's legacy
As part of its commitment to honoring and extending CCA's nearly 120-year legacy, Vanderbilt will establish the California College of the Arts Institute at Vanderbilt University. Situated within the Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang College of Art, Architecture and Design, the CCA Institute will preserve and advance CCA's traditions of experimentation, collaboration and creative inquiry while remaining deeply connected to the cultural life of San Francisco and the broader Bay Area. The institute will bring together the Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts as a platform for research-driven exhibitions, lectures and public programming; preserve, digitize and expand access to the CCA Archives in partnership with Vanderbilt's renowned Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries; engage CCA's more than 25,000 alumni and the wider Bay Area arts community; and support artists, designers, architects, curators and scholars through expanded fellowships and residencies. These activities will provide new opportunities for artistic production, scholarship, teaching and dialogue while extending the reach of CCA's legacy through Vanderbilt's broader academic and cultural work.
