Meet some of the students that make Ringling College great
Get to know our brilliant and talented students. Read their inside perspectives on the Ringling College campus culture, what they will miss the most about their time here, and hear about the unique experiences they have had during their time as students.
Jojo Dela Cruz ’25, Illustration
she/her
I will really miss the friends I made! Ringling has a very tight-knit community so I bump into a friend every day and we always have a little chat. And not only on campus, but also within the independent music community I became a part of in Florida.
During a music event in Scotts Plaza, I was sketching the band members of one of the bands that performed. Then they noticed me and said they liked it. Then, to my surprise, one of their wives bought the sketch from me!
Lucia Alonso ’26, Motion Design
she/her
I think the main aspect of a day at Ringling College is the sense of community. We improve and build upon our skills from the feedback and help of others. Also, lots of dedication and hard work! We feed off other people’s motivation.
One of the most impactful and unique experiences I had was attending Motion Design’s FutureProof conference in my first year. It was so exciting to meet all the successful Motion Design Ringling alumni who came back to share their experiences in the industry. It was very, very inspiring and it made me so passionate and motivated about my major!
Ringling is unlike other colleges. It’s smaller, more familiar and a nice environment to grow as an artist. There’s an emphasis on community and helping each other!
Capri Easterday ’25, Entertainment Design
The atmosphere at Ringling College feels like a mix of summer vacation and crunch time at NASA. I am both the girl boss-city girl and hometown lumberjack in a Hallmark movie.
The College is an hour below Tampa and 15 minutes away from the #1 beach in the country, but we visit probably just as frequently as you because we’re so passionate about our work and busy. Most importantly, Ringling has majors and studies you can’t find anywhere else and academics that will make you the best in the industry!
I’ve had some unique experiences here. Working with the INDEX team to design and fabricate Avant Garde over the last two years was amazing! To work alongside professionals and make something that supports student scholarships is so cool.
Brianna Dillmuth ’27, Motion Design
I would describe the day-to-day atmosphere here as hard-working but very collaborative. I’m almost always working with my friends in a big group so we can ask each other questions and get feedback, but also make sure we’re having fun doing so. Every day we watch movies and bring snacks to each other in project rooms while looking over our projects.
The community here is definitely the thing I will miss the most about Ringling College. I’m a Motion Design major, and it’s a very tight-knit group. Our faculty are always hosting and attending events and are very involved in each student’s progress. I can make my individual goals known, and they’ll find a way to get me there. Same thing with my classmates, being creative and putting yourself out there can be terrifying, but the encouragement I’ve received from my peers has been instrumental to how I view my own work. I’m definitely going to miss it when I graduate.
Valerie Miller ’27, Illustration
she/her
Ringling is a college that pushes you to your full potential—where you learn about art and the industry in tandem and forge incredible connections with fellow creatives. The Career Services department has brought in people from companies I’ve always dreamed of working for! Getting to go to their presentations and speak with them has been such a cool experience.
No matter where I go on campus, no matter the time of day, I always find support. This school is full of amazing facilities, passionate faculty, and inspiring classmates. And the atmosphere here is charged with creative energy! Everywhere I go, I see people creating inspiring work, it’s impossible to be art-blocked at Ringling College.
Daniel Mainou Reyes ’26, Graphic Design
he/him
As a Graphic Design major I had the unique experience of joining the Ligature team, it was a way for me to collaborate with a bunch of people in the major from sophomores to seniors. It allowed me to design, collaborate, and think in another way, unrelated to a class project. There is such a big sense of community among the students and faculty here I will really miss collaborating on projects and learning from other classmates and faculty.
Dogu Ozorhan ’26, Film
he/him
Being a student at Ringling College is a unique experience. I think what makes it so unique for me is being able to improve myself in many fields. As a young filmmaker, I am improving myself regarding my profession and also my other passions such as photography, painting, music and many more. I think what is so unique is that the College allows me to use my creativity without any limitations but also during that process teaches me about how to use my creativity more efficiently and more systematically. Ringling taught me to use my creativity as a fuel and use everything I learned from the classes to turn that fuel into velocity.
As an international student from Turkey, the day-to-day atmosphere of the Ringling campus and Sarasota feels like a TV show, or a sitcom. There are classes and a schedule that I have to follow but everyone I run into during my day including my friends, my professors, and my interactions with them feels kind of magical. Magical in the sense that it is a daily life I would be watching on a TV show if I was still studying in Turkey, and now it feels like I am living in the TV show.
Janice Park ’24, Illustration
she/her
Ringling College has such a warm atmosphere. Even when the sun hides behind the clouds, the people around me make up a warm day.
Starting my first year at home due to COVID-19, changing majors, and restarting with knowing absolutely nothing scared me to pieces. Who knew I’d find comfort in baking gochujang cookies while working on my illustrations?
Since coming, I’ve met some of the best people here, and it’s sad knowing that I won’t be able to see some of them due to distance. Working with the best professors who bring out the best in you, to the peers who motivate you to work harder—it’s a different kind of warmth when you’re around the friends you love at the end of a hard workday. It’s a daily routine I’m blessed to have.
Great weather + inspirational people = Ringling College.
Karla Robledo ’27, Motion Design
she/her
Ringling is an art and design college that embraces uniqueness and unity, fostering the greatest and kindest artists of our generation for success. It’s so refreshing to be surrounded by such talented people with similar interests.
I’ve had unparalleled support in my creative process. I had a personal project that I felt really compelled to finalize, and I wanted some guidance from my professors. I was surprised when I was greeted with so much enthusiasm. They spoke about it with other teachers, who offered to help as well. I felt so seen and embraced.
Anna Rold ’25, Illustration
she/her
Hands down, the best thing about this place is the community. There is no place quite like Ringling when it comes to being around like-minded creatives. I’m truly going to miss my friends and peers who are always encouraging and supportive. There is a never-ending flow of creativity from the classroom to around campus. People are always making and sharing something new!
It’s a school where artists further their passion and discover what they truly love to make, and then turn it into an astounding career.
While in my plein air painting class, I sold one of my pieces on location! I was painting a pink apartment building when one of its residents was walking by. She said to me, “That’s my door!” as she pointed at my work. Now that painting is a part of her home! It was an extremely cool thing to experience.
Nick Whittle ’26, Virtual Reality Development
he/him
The friends I have made here are the most genuine, hardworking, and honest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. Not only have the students been incredible, but the teachers. So many of them have put in the time and effort to connect with me to make sure I have been making the best quality work I can produce to prepare me for the future. They will all be missed, and I’m grateful I have been able to meet all of them.
Going to the IAPPA conference in Orlando was like a dream come true—arcade machines, industry professionals, and talented people everywhere. It was insane how just going for a few hours could potentially change your life. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who can go—you’ll never forget it!
Ringling is definitely fast-paced! I’m constantly bouncing between classes, the gym, the labs, and trying to squeeze in some time to hang with my friends. It can be a bit crazy at points, I won’t lie, but the more you progress through your four years, the more you start to get better at time management, and overall you will feel more prepared for a real-world working environment.
Anthony Brownstead ’25 Photography and Imaging
he/they
The thing I will miss the most about my time here is just being with my friends and collaborating with them all the time. I will miss getting to connect and work with fellow photographers and artists on each of our projects.
Student Stories
Recent News
Why Choose Ringling?
Get to know Ringling College of Art and Design
Ringling College of Art and Design educates students, its community, and the world to understand art and creativity as essential dimensions to life.
About RinglingPlan a Visit
Learn about each of our 13 creative disciplines.
Find yourself—and your community.
Stay up-to-date with whats happening on campus.
