December 2020 Graduations for Academic Degrees
Graduates from School of Visual Arts Shine in Digital Arts Fields
The School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City has recently celebrated the graduation of a diverse group of students from various online degree programs in fields such as Graphic Design, Web Design, Digital Photography, Advertising Design, Digital Media, and Illustration.
Among the graduates are Bethany Robbins, who earned an Associate Degree in Graphic Design, and Mariaelena Martinez, Jennifer Kidd, and Jenelle Roberts, who all graduated with Undergraduate Certificates in Graphic Design. Bradley Poreda and Samantha Williams graduated with an Undergraduate Certificate in Digital Photography, while Cassie Chancy and Marissa Sasscer earned an Undergraduate Certificate in Illustration.
Nick Morrissey graduated with an Associate Degree in Digital Media, and Shawn Bashaw earned an Associate Degree in Web Design. Aleena Otsuka and Paolo Fulgenzi both graduated with an Associate Degree and Undergraduate Certificate in Illustration, respectively.
The graduates have met their program milestones and completed their portfolios, showcasing their diverse media work at the SVA 2025 Alumni Exhibition. This exhibition, which took place on August 3, 2025, highlighted the achievements of undergraduate and graduate alumni across multiple media disciplines.
SVA is known for its MFA Art Practice program, which offers a hybrid model of six semesters of fully online coursework combined with three intensive summer residencies in NYC. This interdisciplinary program supports study across multiple visual arts disciplines, including digital media and design fields, with a focus on experimentation and critical inquiry.
Despite the challenging times, a significant number of online degree program students have graduated, demonstrating the resilience and determination of the graduating class. The graduates were bid a fond farewell at the graduation ceremony, which took place this December.
Graduates such as Baleigh Bates, who earned an Associate Degree in Graphic Design, Jessica Braun, who graduated with an Associate Degree in Illustration, and Kara Gelles, who earned an Undergraduate Certificate in Advertising Design, were also celebrated for their achievements.
The graduating class was praised for their hard work and dedication, with Oprah Winfrey's quote, "Everything is always working out for me. That's my mantra-make it yours... Look at how many times you were worried and upset-and now you're here today. You made it.", serving as a message of encouragement.
For more detailed alumni profiles, other colleges such as Savannah College of Art and Design and Cleveland Institute of Art also offer relevant online degrees, but SVA aligns most closely as a named online visual arts institution in the provided search results focused on recent graduates and alumni exhibitions.
- The graduates from School of Visual Arts completed their online degree programs in varied fields such as Graphic Design, Digital Photography, and Illustration, showcasing their work at the SVA 2025 Alumni Exhibition.
- Among these graduates, Baleigh Bates obtained an Associate Degree in Graphic Design, demonstrating the school's dedication to education-and-self-development in digital arts such as graphic design and online-education.
