A Legacy in the Making:

Jill Groeber 96 GD Pays It Forward

Collaboration, support and sharing. These traits become ingrained at RISD, says Jill Groeber 96 GD, starting with first-year Experimental and Foundation Studies courses. Students learn to present work, constructively critique each other and take a collective approach to problem-solving that helps them go on to sustain creative lives and careers.

“I have a deep gratitude for my education at RISD and my time there,” says Groeber, now director of the creative agency Studio A2.

Since graduating, the Brooklyn-based Groeber has stayed close to RISD through work, friendships and volunteering with the RISD Alumni Club of New York City, where she has helped build a robust community who connect and share knowledge through gatherings, exhibitions and events.

Always generous with her time, beginning July 1, 2024, Groeber will take on a new role as chair of the Jesse + Helen Rowe Metcalf Society, which comprises donors who have incorporated the college and/or museum into their estate plans. Groeber, who will endow a scholarship through a planned gift via the Jill Groeber (96 GD) Fund, will succeed outgoing Chair Jutta-Annette Page PhD MAE 86.

Estate planning may seem daunting at first, Groeber says, but the Metcalf Society provides a community and shared purpose for people who know they want to support RISD.

“I wanted to leave a legacy gift,” Groeber says. “I can’t necessarily give now, but I can give later, and the Metcalf Society allows me to do that.”