The Art Institute of Virginia Beach abruptly closes, surprising college community
The Art Institute of Virginia Beach is closing its doors at the end of the month, along with all other branches and campuses of The Art Institute system.
The closure was announced on the college’s website, as well as in an email sent to students around 3 p.m. Friday, one day before the end of the term.
“A culmination of events over the past decade, both external and internal to the campus operations, has forced the closure of this system of colleges,” the email states. “Most notably, the colleges, which already were dealing with the legacy challenges that arose under prior ownership, were unable to absorb the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on schools teaching hands-on and equipment-intensive programs such as culinary arts and fashion design.”
Justice Perez Sanders, 16, was finishing up her final assignments on Friday and wasn’t able to submit them through the assignment portal. So she sent them to her professor, who she said was also unaware that the closure was happening.
Perez Sanders, of Virginia Beach, was working toward a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and animation at the Virginia Beach campus. She said she was shocked and devastated by the announcement. She already had her classes lined up for the next term, which was to start Oct. 2.
Justice and her mother, Sara Perez Sanders, went to campus Monday to try to retrieve some of her work. Sara Perez Sanders said there were many students there trying to get their artwork, and she said a staff member told them this would be the last opportunity to enter.
Justice was only able to retrieve some of her portfolio because she was not able to access the school’s servers.
“She worked really hard to build that,” Sara Perez Sanders said.
“Since its founding, The Art Institutes, individually and collectively, provided an academic experience for students who sought education in academic disciplines based in creativity, innovation, and emerging technology,” the email states. “This closure does not diminish the many and varied contributions that The Art Institutes have made to higher education and the knowledge and skills that alumni have taken into their respective fields of culinary, design, fashion, and media following graduation.”
Justice Perez Sanders, who finished high school in a year and a half, said she is not sure of her next steps yet. She has requested a copy of her transcript according to the instructions provided in the closure notice.
Sara Perez Sanders said her daughter will lose the scholarship she had received. They are worried because the school was convenient because of Justice’s young age.
Calls to the college’s media relations and president’s offices went to voicemail. Other campuses include Miami International University of Art & Design, The Art Institute of Atlanta, The Art Institute of Austin, The Art Institute of Dallas, The Art Institute of Houston, The Art Institute of San Antonio and The Art Institute of Tampa.
Nour Habib, nour.habib@virginiamedia.com
