by 
President | Maine College of Art and Design
Welcoming Remarks – Day One
A leader in arts advocacy, Dr. Laura Freid is in her eighth year as president of Maine College of Art & Design.
Under Freid’s leadership, applications to Maine College of Art & Design’s BFA program have increased by 82 percent from 2016 to 2023, along with an 8 percent increase in selectivity and diversity of the incoming class. Enrollment in the MFA program has also increased by 88 percent. The College has introduced a major in Animation & Game Art and two new minors: Art & Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Ecosystems: Art & Design.
Over $15.25 million has been raised since Freid joined the College, with annual fundraising increasing by over 50 percent. The College’s endowment market value has more than doubled under Freid’s leadership, thanks to new gifts, pledge payments, and market gain.
Freid developed Maine College of Art & Design’s strategic plan, Envisioning Our Future 2027, which builds on the College’s position in Portland’s Arts District and embraces change. The plan’s five strategic goals will guide the College’s growth and development as it envisions a world enriched by artists and designers.
Previously, Freid served as CEO and executive director of Silkroad, initiating affiliations with Harvard University and the Rhode Island School of Design. Under her leadership, Silkroad organized a yearlong celebration of the arts in Chicago, focused on arts and passion-driven learning, and brought together artists and business leaders to influence cultural entrepreneurship.
Freid graduated from Washington University in St. Louis and holds an MBA from Boston University and an EdD from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2018, she received an honorary Doctor of Business Administration from Johnson & Wales University.
