08.05.2019 | Dear Students: Shooting in Dayton, Ohio

Dear CCAD family,

Very early on Sunday morning, another mass shooting happened, this time, in the Oregon District of Dayton, Ohio. Every time I learn of another incident where lives are violently and unnecessarily taken, I am devastated, but this most recent occurrence in Dayton—just hours after a similarly tragic event in El Paso, Texas—hits close to home.

Here at Columbus College of Art & Design, we have students, faculty, and staff who come from Montgomery County. As a community, we have friends, family members, colleagues, and peers from the region. Perhaps some of you have spent time in the Oregon District and enjoyed the art and culture found in this area that is similar to our own Short North Arts District.

While I cannot offer closure or a reason for what happened—and continues to happen—in our country, I can tell you this: you are part of a community that cares. As we learn more about what’s unfolded, please care for one another, grieve with one another, listen to one another, offer kindness to one another. And most importantly, diligently work together to define what role artists and designers play in offering a vision of a world that’s built on common respect for all humanity.

I cannot bring up a tragedy so close to home without mentioning that for our Safety & Security team, the safety of those on our campus is the number one priority. This team and the  leadership of the college are continuously engaging in training, updating policies, and tightening communications to provide the structure for CCAD to safely and quickly respond to emergencies of all kinds. Quick communication is critically important, and I urge you to take a moment to make sure that you are subscribed to the CCAD Alert system with updated information. This notification system provides next steps for what to do in case of an emergency via text and email. You can subscribe or update your contact information at www.ccad.edu/emergency.  

I look forward to seeing you all on campus later this month. 

Sincerely,

Melanie Corn