The Spirit of the Place: Reflecting on 20 Years at the Sam Fox School with Dean Carmon Colangelo

“Every day I come in to work, I kind of pinch myself. The energy, creativity, and sense of possibility from running into people and seeing new projects take shape always gives me a lift.”

When Carmon Colangelo tells people about his job — the Ralph J. Nagel Dean of the Sam Fox School — one of the first, often surprising, things he shares is that it’s fun. “Being part of a community like this is such an honor and very gratifying,” he said. “The complexity of the job can be daunting at times, but it’s layered with joy, creativity, and meaningful relationships. The Sam Fox School is a place where serious work and serious play often go hand in hand.”

As an undergraduate, faculty and leadership roles weren’t exactly on Colangelo’s radar. He came from a working-class Italian immigrant family in Ontario, Canada, and pursued printmaking in part for its utility as an applied creative skill, one where he could transfer his knowledge of technology, material, and tools, to other types of work. When he got to graduate school, he found that the experience of teaching and helping others was rewarding. “I saw my professors’ success — having an art practice, access to materials and space, teaching, being in community, sustaining themselves. All that made sense to me and seemed like a good path forward,” he said.

Colangelo’s first teaching job was as a sabbatical replacement faculty member at Louisiana State University — where he earned his MFA in printmaking — followed by positions at West Virginia University and the University of Georgia. As a young professor, he received advice to lay low or risk ending up on several committees, which would cut into his time for creative work. Colangelo didn’t take that advice, however well-meaning. “I always identified with the responsibility of building a program, going above and beyond, and giving students the best experience possible,” he said. “I realized that if I didn’t do it, nobody would. It was just a matter of stepping up.”

The position of a dean, Colangelo said, comes with a lot of freedom to choose your priorities. For him, the most important duties are leading by example and showing the humanistic side of the job. What he thinks about most often are questions around caring for students and nurturing an environment of trust and sharing among faculty and staff. “In times of stress — financial, political, health — being in the moment and being present for the community is often the most important thing we can do,” he said.

In addition to overseeing the operation of the school, Colangelo takes an active role in fundraising along with the school’s advancement team. He often travels across the country to visit studios and architecture offices, attend museum and gallery exhibitions and academic conferences, making connections with alumni and supporters. “For me, fundraising is extremely gratifying and so inspiring in terms of getting to see what people are accomplishing, especially our alumni. It’s a big privilege,” he said. In his two decades as dean, the school’s endowment has grown from $56.7 million to more than $200 million. That growth has allowed the school to focus on fulfilling its strategic goal of reducing student debt and offering more scholarship support, along with supporting research and endowed professorships.

Even with his demanding administrative schedule, Colangelo has maintained an active studio practice. In recent years his work has been shown nationally and in St. Louis at the Saint Louis Art Museum, Bruno David Gallery, and the 21c Museum Hotel. He believes that staying active in his studio has kept him grounded and growing. “It reminds me of the challenges faculty and students face in their creative work,” he said, “and being in that space of learning and making helps me lead with empathy and authenticity.”

Perhaps the most visible of Colangelo’s accomplishments as dean are the construction of Weil Hall and expansion of the Kemper Art Museum, both part of WashU’s East End Transformation. The school went from a group of buildings at the far corner of campus behind a parking lot to a thoughtfully designed campus-within-a-campus situated at the university’s front door. Anabeth and John Weil Hall, completed in 2019 and LEED Platinum certified, now houses the school’s graduate programs, additional making space, and administrative offices. “A lot of the time, the dean’s office is on an upper level, way in the back,” Colangelo said. “I wanted to be visible on the ground floor, very available, near students and the action.” Next door, the Kemper Art Museum — which Colangelo visits often as one of his “rejuvenation strategies” — was expanded with a significant increase in gallery space and a new focus of building dialogue through its exhibitions.

“This end of campus offers much to appreciate — from its beautiful buildings and the value of contemporary architecture, to its thoughtful design that fosters shared public space and a balance between work and rest,” Colangelo said.

He was also instrumental in starting the university’s Art on Campus program, which sets aside one percent of eligible capital projects and renovations on the Danforth Campus for the purchase and commission of public art. Today, the university has eight works on view through the program, each with its own story. Colangelo can see Dan Graham’s “Bisected Circle,” from his office, where he loves to watch people’s curiosity unfold as they discover and interact with the work.

After largescale construction projects and navigating a global pandemic, Colangelo said the biggest thing that has kept him up at night is support for student scholarships. “In the last five years, significant fundraising efforts have resulted in a 90.5% increase in donor-funded graduate scholarships,” he said. Supporting students throughout their education means they graduate with less debt, a factor he notes is critical in the creative fields.

Offering in-demand programs that will create a new generation of leaders has been another priority. “The Master of Landscape Architecture was a new program that really helped forge our identity, and I credit Bruce Lindsey, former Dean of Architecture, for that,” Colangelo said. “The MFA in Illustration & Visual Culture with John Hendrix did the same thing, and the new MDes for Human-Computer Interaction and Emerging Technology with Jonathan Hanahan is positioned to be another school-shaping program.”

When Colangelo collaborates with his team, he sees it as a continued effort to build community. “Our faculty are totally dedicated to teaching. They’re passionate, resilient, collegial, and available,” he said. “And our staff teach me something new every day — I couldn’t do it without them and am so impressed by how much everyone juggles.” Colangelo has hired more than half of the current faculty and cites the creation of the Office for Socially Engaged Practice and support of Island Press, the school’s research-based printmaking workshop, among his proudest achievements. “Buildings are important, but the people you hire are even more your legacy,” he said. “It really makes the spirit of the place.”

Today, Colangelo is mindful that the school is navigating another period of change, shaped by shifting funding realities, the rising cost of education, and evolving expectations among students and families.

Throughout his final year as dean, he’s focusing on the same sense of purpose and mission that has guided the school’s early success, and continued conversation with students. “These students are going to make a difference in our world,” he said. “They’re more socially and environmentally engaged, they think more about leadership, equity, and responsibility. I’m excited to see how they address these issues in their work.”

Colangelo would love to see the school become even more robust in its financial support of students and faculty research, along with continuing to grow in interdisciplinary collaboration. “I hope the idea of the school and what it offers continues to grow,” he said.

“When I started, of course I was scared. ‘Is this going to work? Am I up for the task? Are we really going to get all of this done?’” Colangelo said. “But 20 years has gone by fast, and the school has surpassed all my expectations. I am so proud that we’re in this space, that this has all come together.”

When he steps down as dean in June 2026, Colangelo is looking forward to more time in the studio, a freer schedule, family time, and some boredom. “For someone like me, who is driven by the next task, I’m teaching myself to slow down, think differently, and enjoy that time.” After a yearlong sabbatical, he plans to return to teaching at the school.

“The closer I get to the end of my tenure, the luckier I feel to have worked in this place, with such incredible people,” Colangelo said.