Dear Cornish Community, 

As of this week Dr. Raymond Tymas-Jones has made the decision to retire as President of Cornish College of the Arts. We are incredibly grateful to President Tymas-Jones for his leadership and dedication to Cornish during his six years as president – leading us through COVID-19, rebuilding community programs, and initiating a campus unification plan. We will look back fondly on his time and service at Cornish.

My name is Emily Parkhurst. I previously served as the Board of Trustees Chair but have resigned from my position to step in as Interim President while the Board searches for a replacement. I have two art degrees — an MFA in creative writing and a BM in music performance. Before moving to Seattle, I taught as an Adjunct Professor in Maine, preparing me for roles as President and publisher of the Puget Sound Business Journal as well as leading my own media company, which introduced me to the Seattle arts community. I have stepped back from my own business temporarily to focus on Cornish because I believe in the future of this institution.

Since I’ve stepped down as Board Chair, Marianne Francis, who has been a Board Member since 2007 and graduated from Cornish in 1996, has stepped into the role. She has co-chaired the Cornish Gala for five years and will greatly support the institution during this transition.

In the next 60 days, when faculty returns to campus, the Board will appoint a presidential search committee that includes Cornish faculty, staff and their respective unions. We are so fortunate to have Provost and VP of Academic Affairs, Brian Harlan, and Academic Dean and Professor of Music, James Falzone, to help us ensure a smooth transfer of responsibilities. As Interim President, my goal is overseeing this transition – including communication and financial management of the college – so we can all focus on supporting our students. Nothing is more important to us than that.

The 110th anniversary this upcoming Fall marks an important time in the history of Cornish. I look forward to seeing how this transition will lead to the betterment of the institution and am excited to welcome students back this Fall.

Please direct any questions to communications@cornish.edu.

Sincerely,

Emily Parkhurst