A 2018 advertising photography alumnus is making a $3.5 million gift to RIT’s School of Photographic Arts and Sciences. It is the largest single gift ever made to RIT’s College of Art and Design.
The gift comes from Chance Wright and his mother, Pamela Mars Wright, whose late father was the co-president of Mars, Incorporated.
Mars, based in Virginia, is a global manufacturer of candy, other food products and animal care services.
“The School of Photographic Arts and Sciences is beyond thrilled and humbled by the generosity of this gift from alumnus Chance Wright and his family,” said Therese Mulligan, school.
Mulligan added that “with Chance’s gift, the school will renovate its spaces on the third floor of Gannett Hall, enabling us to reshape the physical environment in which students learn and hone their skills.”
Wright, who also earned his MBA from RIT’s Saunders College of Business this past weekend, said he “wanted to make a gift that would help the students directly and make the biggest impact” for the photo school, which made such an impression on him during a campus visit five years ago.
RIT architects are currently working with school officials on details of the project, which is scheduled to begin in May 2020.
