Suzanne Snyder named dean of Pratt Munson College of Art and Design
After a five-month national search, Suzanne Snyder has been named dean of Pratt Munson College of Art and Design, Munson’s 24-year affiliation with Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, N.Y. Snyder will provide executive leadership for Pratt Munson, an extension campus of Pratt Institute that provides first- and second-year instruction in fine arts, communications design, photography, and art and design education for the culmination of a BFA at Pratt. Snyder will also lead Munson’s Community Arts program, which has offered non-credit art instruction to children, teens, and adults since 1941.
Munson President Anna D’Ambrosio said, “We are delighted to welcome Suzanne Snyder to the Munson executive team as dean of our Pratt Munson College of Art and Design. Her professional background combined with exceptional academic leadership and experience will strengthen our success in training the next generation of creatives. Suzanne is a dedicated, thoughtful professional with an impressive track record.”
“I am excited to join Pratt Munson as dean,” Snyder said. “Pratt Munson fosters an environment where students thrive academically and creatively, supported by a close-knit group of practicing artists and designers. The beautiful campus and Munson’s rich exhibition opportunities create an intimate yet connected environment, linking students not only to their future in Brooklyn but also to the larger global arts community. I look forward to collaborating with students and faculty to create meaningful opportunities and to further the vibrant and inclusive community that connects Utica and Brooklyn.”
Prior to joining Pratt Munson, Snyder served for 13 years as the program director in the Graphic Design and Visual Communications Department at Champlain College in Burlington, Vt. Her many endeavors at Champlain included launching and directing successful and innovative new programs and classes, in addition to teaching graphic design beginning in 2008 and reaching full professorship in 2021. Before working at Champlain College, Snyder taught at Towson University and Maryland Institute College of Art and worked as a senior designer and information design strategist at Zurich Financial Services. Snyder also has done freelance and consultant work since 1992 and has compiled an impressive portfolio of clients in that time, including the Maryland State Department of Education, World Health Organization, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Snyder is the site evaluator and chair for the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, and previously served as the chair of education for the American Institute of Graphic Arts in Burlington. She has won awards and for her graphic design work and had it published in juried publications, and she has presented professionally and served on panels at several conferences.
Snyder earned a master of fine arts in graphic design from Towson University in Towson, Md., and a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
