In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Cecilia M. McCormick!

About Cecilia M. McCormick: President of MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) with 33 years in higher education, an art collector who raised three sons now working in the creative field.

In our conversation, McCormick talks through MICA's bicentennial year and the vision she's building as the school hits 200. She connects the programming to three themes—illumination, innovation, and entrepreneurship—and digs into new degrees shaped by workforce demand. As she puts it, creativity is "the commodity that cannot be automated, outsourced, or depleted."

She recalls the "Fête of Lights" event where students paraded light-inspired wearable art and staged interpretations of colonial life—everything from lanterns to candlelight soldiers. Importantly, students also reimagined a century-old Main Building painting that celebrated Maryland’s founding: rather than repeating its singular narrative, they researched it and layered contemporary interventions to challenge who is centered in that history. It’s a good example of MICA teaching craft alongside critical inquiry.

We get into AI's role in the classroom, how MICA is teaching students to use it as a tool while emphasizing "the human mark," and the best lesson she's learned: "know when to pivot." Looking ahead, her focus is on experiential learning and driving Baltimore's creative economy.

Be sure to follow Cecilia M. McCormick and MICA to keep up with bicentennial programming and future projects. Join MICA in Celebrating 200 Years of Creative Impact.

Photo courtesy of subject

The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). 

Host: Rob Lee
Music: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.
Production: