The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) has united with Deloitte, the world’s leading service provider, to establish the Deloitte Foundry at SCAD — a preeminent design, research, and innovation studio at the world’s elite university for creative professions.

The Deloitte Foundry at SCAD will launch several new initiatives to spur innovative research, design thinking, and business solutions. (Photo courtesy of SCAD)

Since 2019, Deloitte has collaborated closely with SCADpro, the university’s in-house research and design studio, to provide hundreds of SCAD students with opportunities to create design solutions for some of the most complex issues facing public-sector organizations. Over 30 SCAD graduates are now employed by Deloitte as UX designers, service designers, media creators, and more.

"In under four years, SCAD and its students have already completed 20 successful research assignments for Deloitte, with countless more collaborations in the wings," said Paula Wallace, founder and president of SCAD. "Our relationship has been special from the beginning, and the establishment of the Deloitte Foundry at SCAD makes it official. This first-of-its-kind studio is a launching pad for SCAD’s brilliant Bees. The Deloitte Foundry invites the company into the very heart of SCAD, where it will continue to learn from, partner with, recruit, and hire SCAD talent. Deloitte understands that SCAD graduates the world's most inventive creative talent – and that every organization in the world needs SCAD brilliance to stay competitive."

Previously known as Ruskin Hall, the Deloitte Foundry (516 Drayton St.) builds on years of fruitful partnership between SCAD and Deloitte and signifies a compelling new chapter in the alliance.

"We're excited to expand our relationship with SCAD and make an even greater impact on the students with whom we work and on the communities they represent," said Mike Canning, principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP. "For the past several years, Deloitte and SCAD have worked together to address some of the country's most challenging organizational and societal issues – including how to enhance resources and support for military families, how to effectively deliver critical services to families, how to tackle homelessness, and how to enhance long-term care for seniors. The Deloitte Foundry will take our relationship with SCAD to new heights and provide students with even more exciting career opportunities in the public sector."

"The Deloitte Foundry is an excellent opportunity to grow Deloitte's relationship with SCAD, the city of Savannah, and the state of Georgia," said Heather Reilly, markets leader for Deloitte’s Government and Public Services (GPS) practice. "This renewed collaboration will help introduce a new generation of highly skilled talent into the workforce. We're confident that the Deloitte Foundry will open new opportunities for SCAD students and Deloitte professionals alike."

The Deloitte Foundry will launch several new initiatives this year to spur innovative research, design thinking, and business solutions, including:

• Deloitte Rapid Implementation Studio, where multidisciplinary teams of SCAD students and faculty will immerse themselves in real-world business challenges and develop groundbreaking, actionable solutions rooted in human-centered design.

• Digital Frontier Studio, which will focus on research, design, and implementation strategies around digital frontier topics such as immersive reality, the metaverse, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and more.

• Deloitte Concierge Recruiting Center, a dedicated, on-site resource to mentor and recruit high-performing SCAD students and alumni, establishing an innovative new model for attracting top creative talent.