Dr. Melanie Corn

Welcome to Columbus College of Art & Design.

We’re one of the nation’s top private art and design colleges, and we’ve been leading the way in educating a diverse group of talented students for more than 140 years. Here, you’ll be pushed to think, create, and work at the highest level. You’ll explore different media in our state-of-the-art facilities and grow from close mentorships with our world-class faculty. You’ll bring your ideas to life, and you’ll master the tools to change culture and business for the better.

Together, CCAD and Columbus are a powerful combination: CCAD provides the education, and the city provides networking opportunities that launch careers into both the local and international creative industries. Our strong alumni network and our partnerships help our students land jobs right out of college. In fact, 84 percent of our graduates were employed or involved in further education within six months of graduation in 2016. You’ll find our alumni all over the globe represented by top galleries, launching their own businesses, and working at all types of companies, including Abercrombie & Fitch, American Greetings, DreamWorks, Facebook, General Electric, Google, Nike, Paramount, and Pixar, just to name a few!

Come join us at CCAD. We can’t wait to see what you’ll do here.

—Dr. Melanie Corn, President 

Letters from Dr. Melanie Corn

 


 

Who is Dr. Corn?

Dr. Melanie Corn is the fifth president of Columbus College of Art & Design. Since joining the college in 2016, Dr. Corn has made significant progress on the dual goals of building a national reputation for the college and strengthening CCAD’s role as a leading cultural institution in the region. She has overseen the implementation of a three-year strategic plan, the construction of the new state-of-the-art Cloyd Family Animation Center, and an increase in new applicants and in overall enrollment at the college.

Dr. Corn makes connecting with students and graduates a priority, holding town halls, writing frequent letters to current students, and spearheading an annual alumni tour that includes stops across the country.

She is a member of the Columbus Partnership and serves on the boards of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design, CBUS Retail, and the Washington Gladden Social Justice Park. Dr. Corn was a 2017 and 2018 finalist for the CEO of the Year award from Columbus CEO and a 2018 recipient of the Progressive Woman award from Smart Business.



Prior to joining CCAD, Dr. Corn spent 13 years in academic administration at California College of the Arts. She received her bachelor’s degree in art history from Stanford University, a master’s degree in art history from the University of California Santa Barbara, and a doctorate in higher education management from University of Pennsylvania.

After working in art and design education for more than a decade and a half, Dr. Corn is a fervent believer in the power of creativity. She loves her job because, as she frequently says, “No one’s mom ever made them go to art school,” meaning, of course, that CCAD students are intentional, hardworking, and passionate about their education.

As part of CCAD’s strategic plan, Dr. Corn helped to define the college’s institutional values—accountability, inspiration, positivity, and respect. Her vision for the future of the college includes adding new degree offerings and facilities to meet the needs of tomorrow's creative workforce and building on CCAD's long history of youth programming and community education with more professional development offerings for the thriving workplaces of central Ohio.

 


President's Report

CCAD's inaugural President's Report summarizes key information from the 2020–2021 academic year and shares details about our near-term plans. Read the report.
 


 

 


Check out Dr. Corn's Social Media feeds 

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2305359334609170865_3017827348
Congrats to the @ccadedu Class of 2020! And thanks to everyone who tuned in and to those who made our virtual graduation ceremony possible. Great work! 👏🏼🎉💕 #myccad #ccadlasts
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2304605909608865077_3017827348
No. #unacceptable 🤬🥶🥺
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2304527874037900212_3017827348
And, last but not least, I’d like to celebrate the @ccadedu Outstanding Senior in Animation, Sidney Gale. “‘Duo’ [my capstone film] is the longest film I’ve ever animated alone. It’s also the most personal film I’ve ever made. It’s about a character realizing that while they can get things done on their own just fine, working together creates the possibility of outcomes they could never achieve alone. And, my second piece is the logo I created to advertise this year’s (unfortunately canceled) CCAD spring 24 hour animation contest, a training event I founded 3 years ago based on the international 24 HOURS Animation Contest for Students. 24 Hours has been a big part of my time at CCAD, and I was so happy with how this year’s branding turned out, I figured this might be a good place to share it!” @sidneygale #ccadcreateaway #myccad
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2303949807661689977_3017827348
No. 9: The @ccadedu Photography Outstanding Senior is Sarah Pfeifer. “My work involves themes of body positivity and self-identity. For my thesis, I decided to imagine what Hollywood would look like if it was inclusive. Creature... features fellow students Roy Davila and Taylor Jackson. Work 2: Reborn: A Body Positivity Project. I selected this work because it is a piece that means a lot to me. I made this piece for my Lens Based Narrative Class. I do not own the copyrights to the audio. This work features students Jesamie Houghtby and Taylor Jackson.“ @sarahkaytlinphotography #ccadcreateaway #myccad
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2303265025500816110_3017827348
Day 8’s @ccadedu Oustanding Senior is Grace Morbitzer, Interior Design. These images are beautiful renderings of The Peace Museum. Congrats, @gracie.morbitzer ! #ccadcreateaway #myccad
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2303212241594287822_3017827348
The 7th @ccadedu Outstanding Senior is Liz White, Advertising & Graphic Design. “This piece, Cremo Men's Makeup Catalog and Packaging, was selected as a 2019 National Addy Award Winner, and working on it was the first time I've felt like a real designer. Thanks to Jim Lutz, my professor, and Alex Charlton, Alex Mockenstrum, and Justin Grady, my models.” Congrats, Liz! @wizlight_ #ccadcreateaway #myccad
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2302642613344270801_3017827348
On this #GivingTuesday please consider supporting the @ccadedu Student Emergency Fund. We have incredible students, and they need your support now more than ever. Link in bio. #myccad #ccadcreateaway
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2302363587597002875_3017827348
Julian has decided to cook daily. He’s been making pan-seared salmon! Pretty awesome. Meanwhile, I just continue to bake with J. Peanut butter cup pie, blueberry muffins, lemon bars, banana bread, etc. Definitely need to bake less and walk more, but...🤷🏼...tomorrow!
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2301867350792414687_3017827348
Day 6: @ccadedu Outstanding Senior in Comics & Narrative Practice Han Donovan. This is a page from their beautiful capstone project, St. Paul’s Coolest. Check out Han’s IG for more deets and buy your own copy of this now! @handonnievan #ccadcreateaway #myccad (P.S. Cut off bubble at the top says “Why?”)
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2301283087012749486_3017827348
Day 5: @ccadedu Industrial Design Outstanding Senior, Nick Majeski ( @majeski__designs ) Photo 1: His Sr Thesis tackles “diabetic foot ulcers to lower the risk of amputations caused by them.” Medical design is his primary area of interest, as he’s seen the importance of it first hand in his family. Photo 2: “This board was designed by my company Khander Longboards. I designed and fabricated the deck and my partner created the custom graphic for the client.” #ccadcreateaway #myccad
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2301148719741727153_3017827348
Day 4 (that was yesterday) showcasing @ccadedu Outstanding Senior work: Isabella Latell - Illustration. “Image 1: Dragon Heartstrings, I picked this piece to showcase my recent illustrative print work using Risograph. Image 2: Noble Blood, I chose this piece to highlight my poster design illustrations.” Congrats! (And apologies for not getting the 2nd piece to fit in IG well.) 😊 @isabellamarieart #ccadcreateaway #myccad
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2300247881766857574_3017827348
Your weekly dose of puppy cuteness from the Corn-son household! #minibernedoodle #bernedoodle #puppiesofinstagram #copperandbiscuit
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2299680871911717462_3017827348
Day 3: @ccadedu Outstanding Senior in Film & Video — Angelo Thomas (@iamangelothomas) — “This is the poster for my film The Incredible Jake Parker. It is the first feature film to come out of my department in over thirty years and serves as my senior capstone. It is the product of two years of hard work and holds a special place in heart as it is loosely based on my real-life battle with an eating disorder.” I can’t wait for the premiere of this important film. Congrats, Angelo! #ccadcreateaway #myccad
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2299008581981074961_3017827348
Day 2 of celebrating @ccadedu Outstanding Seniors. Congrats to Xuena Pu - Fashion Design - on her gorgeous senior collection! @xuenapu #myccad #ccadcreateaway (Thanks to @tywwright for the images from the collection jury. So sad not to see these looks on the runway next week.)
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2298358592804058073_3017827348
Every year we celebrate the Outstanding Senior for each major here @ccadedu. Congratulations to Destiny Ryan - Fine Arts. This is “Autopsy of the Artist,” a large-scale painting that took 120 hours to perfect. @destiny.ryan.art #myccad
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2293296199250059512_3017827348
Another flashback to when we had a beautiful Oakland garden and a beautiful toddler! Happy Earth Day!
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2293294892715988094_3017827348
Happy Earth Day!
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2290021346531236753_3017827348
Enjoy the weekend! Here’s a morning dose of puppy cuteness to start you off on the right foot. #puppiesofinstagram #minibernedoodle #bernedoodle
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2289535130866199748_3017827348
Shout out to two of the incredible @ccadedu staffers who are still coming to work everyday to take care of our campus while the rest of us are away. Thank you, Director of Safety & Security Wallace Tanksley and Mailroom Manager Deanna McCutcheon! We appreciate you!! #myccad 📸 @tywwright
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2288973689092155037_3017827348
“Do you think if I just lay right here and open my mouth, they’ll pour the food right in?” — Peaches the Cat
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2286632174416170397_3017827348
Can’t wait to return to @otherworldohio and see what’s new as soon as we’re all able to congregate again! Support artists now so they’ll be around when we’re back together! #artmakescolumbus #ohioartsstrong #myccad
2 years ago

melanie_corn

#puppytraining #gooddog #puppiesofinstagram #minibernedoodle #bernedoodle
2 years ago

Melanie_Corn

RT @Melanie_Corn: I’m obsessed with artist-made jewelry. Might be a problem, but not 1 to solve today! Artists & designers need our support…
2 years ago

melanie_corn

Image for Instagram Post ID: 2285014283975565103_3017827348
I’m a bit obsessed with artist-made jewelry. It might be a problem, but not one to solve today! Artists and designers need our support now more than ever. Just bought these 5 items from the @ccadedu Virtual Art Fair - shopccad.org. Happening now through Sunday night. Get your shop on! #myccad Upper left and going clockwise: Courtney DeYoung @cavaticadesigns , Makayla Duffy @m.duffy_art , Casey Lyn @caseylyncollections , Bethany James / LEO Designs @bethanyjewelry , and Jen McCracken @jenesis_creates
2 years ago