Hillier College Provides Art Courses for All Students with Arts@NJIT Initiative
From Leonardo da Vinci to Nam Jun Paik to Lillian Schwartz, art and technology have a long and intertwined relationship. Beginning in spring 2026, all NJIT students will have the opportunity to explore this productive feedback loop.
Thanks to a generous gift from NJIT alumnus Ron Dooley (Mechanical Engineering) and his wife Carol, Hillier College of Architecture and Design (HCAD) is launching a new initiative, Arts@NJIT, to offer art classes in a variety of media for students from all majors across the university. The Dooley gift also provides support for extra- and co-curricular programing, including visiting artists, exhibitions and events.
The Dooleys believe in the transformative power of art and in the importance of making space for creativity in the coursework of every student, especially those in STEM-focused disciplines who might otherwise not have the opportunity to study and make art. For the Dooleys, exposure to the arts and the creative process makes a real difference in how one sees the world, and how one approaches STEM topics, from computer science to engineering to biology.
“There is a reason so many polytechnics have embraced the concept of STEAM, adding the arts to STEM education,” said Gabrielle Esperdy, dean of HCAD. “Studying fine art sharpens critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration. These are the so-called four Cs that are vital to student success in the 21st century. We are excited about Arts@NJIT because this initiative gives HCAD the opportunity to expose the whole campus to the pedagogies and practices that are fundamental to architecture and design–and applicable to every other major on campus. Innovation emerges at the nexus of creativity and technical knowledge and Arts@NJIT will give every NJIT student an important edge.”
Hillier College’s School of Art + Design faculty with fine arts backgrounds are looking forward to participating in this initiative and to sharing the distinct pedagogies and practices of the arts to a broadened student audience.
“As a design school situated within a STEM-focused university, we’re immersed every day in cutting-edge tools, hi‑tech workflows, and modern technical solutions,” said Mathew Schwartz, chair of the School of Art + Design. “But what people sometimes don’t realize is that many of our faculty — including myself — come from a fine arts background. That foundation matters. Whether you’re studying the conceptual ties between society and an artistic medium, or learning through hands-on making in the studio, art builds the kind of curiosity, empathy and creative risk‑taking that strengthens every discipline.
“Arts@NJIT is an exciting step because it’s about expanding art exposure and access across campus — so these experiences aren’t limited to design students. Making fine arts courses and opportunities more available is a critical investment in the NJIT community and in a truly complete education,” said Schwartz.
The School of Art + Design is offering the first of these new courses this spring: Sketching for Art and Ideation. Instructor Martin Short emphasizes that students need no previous art training to enjoy and succeed in this introductory class, which will give students the opportunity to consider why particular works resonate with them, whether they are museum masterpieces or street art. In this class students will study the work of renaissance and modern artistic movements as well as current-day creatives, including graffiti artists and visual futurists. They will immerse themselves in a constructive learning environment to create their own art work and bring their ideas to life as they develop valuable drawing and sketching skills.
Sketches by Stoyan Boyadjiev, Industrial Design
Students interested in enrolling in AD 490 - ST: SKETCHING FOR ART AND IDEATION can email HCADadvising@njit.edu to receive a permit to enroll.