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

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Celebrating Women’s History month with a panel of incredible panel about women in design. Thank you, Diane Rambo of @brrooster, Alison Westrick (@ajwestrick), and @michellefenstermaker of @fitch_design for sharing your wisdom! March 4 - history #artmakesmarch #myccad
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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Had a chance to visit the @rockhall a few weeks ago. The guitars were cool. The music was great. But for me, it was all about the fashion. What I wouldn’t give for some of those suits! March 3 - Fiber #ArtMakesMarch @artmakescbus
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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My neighborhood is my home is my family is CCAD. It was a beautiful rainy evening in my neighborhood. March 2 - Neighborhood. #ArtMakesMarch #myccad #myccadartsign @artmakescbus
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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Catching up on this fun Instagram challenge from Greater Columbus Arts Council: March 1 - Shadows. #artmakesmarch @artmakescbus
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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This was a couple weeks ago, but I just love this guy! @bellandpixel, you’re incredible. Thanks for organizing a continual flow of fantastic creatures to sharpen our students’ drawing skills and brighten their days! #myccad #cafesketch #chameleonsofinstagram
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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Get your FREE ticket now. Share widely. It’s going to be a great conversation and a fun night! #myccad @oh_yanoe
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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He’s a total dork. But that’s just one of the many things that makes him the best dad, the best partner, my best friend. Happy birthday (yesterday) Tanner! 🥰🥳😘
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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Today was the jurying for the @CCADedu Fashion Show. So exciting! Get your tickets now - show is May 8! 📸 @suzccottoncbus #myccad #ccadfashion
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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I love a killer pair of heels, boots, or otherwise fancy shoes — like the new @susanamadrid_sm beauties I acquired in the fall. But, I also love a great pair of sneakers (not to mention Doc Martens, wingtips, etc). I picked these up on Monday...from the youth rack...because my son and I now where the same size shoes. Sigh. #casualfriday #newkicks #growingup
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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This is an old one — probably 2012? — but a good one. Happy Valentines Day to my two favorite guys. #myvalentines #FBF
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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Drawing owls. #cafesketch #myccad #owlsofinstagram
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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I had the great pleasure of being a mentor to @ccadedu MFA student @lydcallanprakel last semester. Check out “CCAD Stories” to learn more about their work. I love their large-scale paintings that are abstract explorations of queer identity, culture, and history. Can’t wait to see what’s next! @ccadgradstudies #myccad www.ccad.edu/blogs/ccad-stories-lydia-callan-prakel
3 years ago

Melanie_Corn

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RT @Melanie_Corn: CCAD art sign reflected in a water droplet. Just a little #iPhone fun this morning. t.co/6sNP4TvG9O
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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#myccadartsign
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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Thanks to all the students who came to my AMA talk today. Great questions! So proud to have such an engaged and caring student body. #myccad
3 years ago

melanie_corn

Cold and quiet outside, but warm and buzzing inside as we start our community-wide @ccadedu Strategic Planning Brainstorming Extravagance!! #myccad #CCADplan
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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I ❤️ my job! Can’t say I ❤️ bugs, but these guys were cool! Thanks, Museum of Biodiversity, for coming to @ccadedu for #cafesketch! (I held a tarantula!! 😬 She was fuzzy and cute. And did you know that many scorpions are phosphorescent??) #myccad
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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Walking around @ccadedu campus today. Found these tiny paper cut-out gems stuck to a staircase wall. Not sure who they came from or why, but love them. #myccad #foundoncampus
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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My kiddo will be an excellent art director and project manager some day! He wanted to paint these two pairs of shoes, but somehow @tanner8026 ended up being charged with creating the “comics shoes,” and I was tasked with painting 🔥&🧊! 😂🥰😋 @julian_cornson
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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Feels a little braggy to share, but super honored to be on the cover of this month’s @columbusmonthly magazine. 😊 (Actually on 1/4 of covers — sharing this honor with 3 other fantastic leaders in C’Bus.) And, of course, only here because of the incredible work happening by everyone @ccadedu!
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann receiving the 2020 Robert Zemsky Medal for Innovation in Higher Ed. Incredible record at Penn and fantastic speaker!!
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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Yesterday morning I got to celebrate Columbus’s first on-street DC fast electric vehicle charging station. But, it doesn’t just quickly and cheaply power up your car, it’s a beautiful public artwork, too. Thanks to the students (& faculty and staff) @ccadedu. And thanks to @smartcbus @colsfoundation & @greenspot_ev ! Such a cool project. I’m going back at night to see the lights!! (It’s on Fulton at 4th) Congrats students Dennis Baek, Claudia Jackson, Alexandra Sauer, and Jessica Willmore. Fantastic work!!! #myccad
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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Just in case anyone’s wondering... (My wonderful spouse loves #LOTR and maaayy have entered some key moments of the epic journey into our shared calendar — because, yes, someone has determined the real world dates of those moments!) #truelove #thatsmyguy
3 years ago

melanie_corn

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Going to be a great event!!
3 years ago