Author to speak to artists

Author Daniel Pink will be the featured speaker at the Laguna College

of Art & Design’s graduation ceremonies Monday, May 16.

In addition, the college’s studios will exhibit graduating

seniors’ work, with a special project on display in the main gallery.

Pink will address the notion of “The MFA as the new MBA”. The

author contends that the last few decades have belonged to people

with certain skills -- such as computer, legal and finance, but that

is changing.

“These masters of the universe are about to confront a jarring

reality,” Pink says. “The future belongs to people who can create

beauty and touch the human soul. Artists. Designers. Storytellers.

These right-brain, intuitive people are the next business elite.”

“His message strongly resonated with me,” said college President

Dr. Helene Garrison. “I hope it will inspire our graduating class,

students, parents and friends of Laguna College of Art & Design.”

Pink is author of “Free Agent Nation,” about the growing ranks of

people who work for themselves. His newest book, “A Whole New Mind,”

is about the six essential abilities that white-collar workers must

master to survive in an outsourced, automated, upside-down world.

Pink has lectured on work, business, and economic transformation

and is a contributing editor at Wired magazine. His last job was at

the White House, where he served from 1995-97 as chief speechwriter

to Vice President Al Gore. He’s also worked as an aide to U.S.

Secretary of Labor Robert B. Reich, an economic policy staffer in the

U.S. Senate, a legal researcher in India, and a latrine builder in

Botswana.

He received a bachelor’s in linguistics from Northwestern

University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a J.D. from

Yale Law School.

Graduation ceremonies at Laguna College of Art & Design will begin

at 3 p.m. at the college, 2222 Laguna Canyon Road. A reception will

follow.