Bye Bye
Photography: Thomas Bosket
Custom Typography: William Morrisey
I have written this message on August 17, since then Juliette Cezzar has been appointed as new Director.
Dear Friends,
We’ve had a fantastic run together and I want to thank you all for your commitment, dedication, passion, loyalty, and friendship. The 2011–12 academic year was a stellar one for the AAS Graphic Design Program, with both you and our students being recognized publicly and professionally. I hold you all accountable for our success.
Alas, all good things must come to an end, and this is where I take my final bow as Director. I have sent my letter of resignation on the last day of July and it has been accepted. I will continue as a faculty and perhaps spend a little more time on my own professional endeavors. It has been my pleasure to work with all of you, and I look forward to continued camaraderie and conversation around our shared love of art, design, and education.
Anne Gaines, the new Dean of AMT, graciously offered to field your email and answer any questions until my replacement is announced. Knowing many people who worked with her at the SPACE I have no doubt that you will be in excellent hands.
With love and friendship and honor,
Katarzyna
Comments
26 Comments so far. Leave a comment below.Farewell Kasia! It was absolutely wonderful to learn under you. Thanks for everything.
Good Luck on your next adventure Kasia!.. Thanks!!!
Dear Kasia,
Wow. Big news. As I am reading this, I just wanted to let you know how very instrumental you have been on my path to become a designer. Thank you so much! Much fulfillment and success on all your future endeavors.
Dirk
Thank you Dirk. It’s been a while. When did you graduate?
Kasiu kochana …pieknie napisalas , I swietne zdjecie twoje ktore sobie zatrzymalam
Best of luck to you always mrs. Gruda!
Cheers
Rodrigo
Congratulations on your move in a new direction. I have learned so much from you and am so grateful to have had you as an instructor, advisor and mentor. I’m looking forward to seeing you at the next Dim Sum- soon!
Best,
Alicia
May your Directorship now be directed to your own artistic and professional works.
May you be happy, healthy and successful in your endeavors.
We all love you.
Wow, indeed! Kasia has worked very hard for a long time building a great program at Parsons, and I’m glad to see that she is taking time for herself. Such a big change for everyone, but I’m sure it will lead to good things.
It’s an end of an era! (but, I guess, a beginning of a new one as well.)
Thank you for everything and see you soon in the wilderness of the print labs.
Z
Kasia, that is sad news indeed. I’m sure you have your reasons and that it was a difficult decision for you. I didn’t get to know you that well but, from what other have said about you in your roll as Director, I can tell that you will be missed. My impression is that you have been fierce in your pursuit of the best. Always with the program at the heart of your intentions. It isn’t easy to build a reputation like that in any endeavor – you should feel very proud of all you have accomplished as Director and the respect that people have for you.
This is nuts. I sensed the day I met you that you were a force. You had on a “dissent” button and I suspected we might enjoy mentally mixing it up a bit. I was right on both guesses. Our exchanges were always rooted in passion. Based in respect. And directed toward growth. I think we share a crazy level of commitment to Parsons. I hope whoever follows in your footsteps will honor your tradition, Kasia. I have to say, I have not agreed with all the decisions from the NewSchool in the past several years. Going forward, I hope there will be a big investment in the school. That they fill it with more risk takers and innovators—on the faculty side and the student side. Thank you for all the encouragement and support that you gave me these past ten years. Keep on dissenting. Godspeed. Wagner xo
Well this is a sad sad thing for Parsons. But I want to let you know what a privilege it has been to be your student and your faculty. While there has obviously been some maddening frustration in moving everything forward with the overhead administration, you have been the tireless heart and soul of our program and clearly made it what it was and is. Thanks to you I received an intense and rich design education of graduate level calibre. And you maintained that through all the Newschool changes and turns of the last decade. I love teaching in your program, and have always tried to pull of some Gruda magic of my own. Be passionate and expect greatness from your students (and for you your faculty) and they will find a way to be great.
Thank you for everything you have done for us.
Kasia,
I carry your teaching with me every day of my design career. Thanks for your teaching and the AAS program. Saved my life!
What a unfortunate news! I’m glad that even though you’re no longer director, you’ll continue to make an impact as a a member of the faculty. I’m really glad you’ll continue to influence the student body at Parsons. Thank you.
Kasia,
I’ll miss you – as you already know. Yet, now I seem to be seeing you everywhere. Your feisty personality and mammoth presence will always be a stabilizing influence!! Thank you again for your continued respect and support.
Ms. K
Thank you for everything you’ve done and been for me. You have been an amazing person to work for and learn from. I will never forget that you were at my bedside comforting my mom when I woke up in the ICU just diagnosed with cancer and your subsequent visits. How many people can say that about their boss? I’m so lucky to have had the privilege to have you in my life and have you push me to be the best person and teacher I can be. Parsons will not be the same without you, but your impact will not fade easily. I’m excited to see what you do next! <3
I’ve only known you for a short time, but you’ve done a great deal in shaping me as a designer. I hope you stay on and teach for a long time to come and continue inspiring Parsons students. Thanks Kasia.
My Dearest Kasia,
I read your resignation letter today.
It is with my deepest respect, admiration and gratitude that I sincerely THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for all you have done for me and the AAS program. I am truly fortunate to have known you more than half of my life and to have worked for you these past 8 years as your faculty member…thanks to you! As my director, I have always admired your standard of excellence and hard work and it has been my pleasure to have tried my best to live up to those standards of teaching at the highest level.
Kasia, as my friend, I salute you! I hope your new chapter allows you to simply enjoy your passion for teaching and to spend more time with your students, but most important, to enjoy time for YOU, your family, personal life and creative endeavors. I will see you in the studio soon accompanied with a BIG HUG!!!
Best wishes and love always Kasia,
Kelli XO
Gratulation! Man sieht, dass Dich Deine Studenten lieben und viel von Dir gelernt haben. Alles Gute für Deine Zukunft und viel Freude mit der Kunst!
Hi Kasia,
This is not the end, it is the beginning of new adventures for you and all of us. I was honored to be part of the past and I will be more honored to be part of your present and future. I look forward to work with you in many projects to come.
Thank you for keeping your integrity intact!
Paula.
Wish you all the best of lucks in your new endeavors! I am sure your department will miss your leadership and dedication.
Thank you for your amazing support to our organization!
Your friends at AID FOR AIDS.
The program as I have known it under your leadership led me down a beautiful path in life. Thank you for all of your work and advice in the process. Wishing you the best as you embark on your next adventure!
Kasia was my Program’s director at Parsons. She was always the person who believed in her students’ abilities, and pushed them to exceed not only others’ expectations, but themselves’. It was truly a pleasure to have her as my mentor during my years at Parsons.
Kasia,
Although we’ve only just begun our friendship, correspondence and working relationship…I’ve found you to be the most inspiring and grounded designer I’ve come across yet, here at Parsons. You’ve been the only teacher to treat all of us with respect, kindness, a firm but reasonable hand and above all…with only the best of intentions.
With all due respect and love
Crystal
Since the year 2000, I have been an Adjunct Professor at Parsons School of Design. I teach in the Communication Design—BFA Program, part of the Arts, Media & Technology Department. Over the last few years I have written a number of letters of recommendation—Katarzyna’s is one of a handful that I relish writing. I have been working in design as a typographer, designer and educator for almost 40 years. Katarzyna stands out as one of the most competent and reliable managers I’ve encountered. Decisions are made on the basis of their merit. Her authority, though obvious, is rarely something she has to exercise or use to get things done. Many people in academia are promoted to managerial positons based on years of service or as a perk for loyalty and turn out to be horrible managers. Katarzyna is a leader and an inspiring force for positive change.