Pat Thornton of RISD’s Parents Relations Program sent in this tale of one student’s path to RISD.

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Every now and then one wonders how a student decides to come to RISD. For Jamie Goldstein ‘11 PT the journey from Los Angeles to RISD involves Cranston and a RISD|Continuing Education connection that goes back to the 1950s.

Parents’ Council Co-Chair Erica Di Bona and her husband, Vincent Di Bona, Executive Producer and creator of America’s Funniest Home Videos and 2007 recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, are very happy with Jamie’s decision to attend RISD, even though it meant she attended school across the country. At the end of Jamie’s freshman year, she enthusiastically told her parents how much she had benefited from having the best teachers in her life, and that she had definitely made the right decision to come to RISD.

Jamie, her father Josh Goldstein, Erica and Vin reside in Los Angeles; the Cranston-RISD connection came through Vin. When Vin grew up in Cranston, RI, in the late 1950s, he took Continuing Education art classes at RISD with his best friend Alfred DeCredico ’66 PT. Vin went on to study film and radio at Emerson and UCLA, and eventually became a television producer. Alfred is a well-known painter and RISD professor. When Jamie knew she wanted to pursue an education in the arts, Vin, Alfred and David Schoffmann ’78 PT, Jamie’s mentor at Brentwood Art Center, pointed her to RISD.

After Jamie completed the Pre-College program her mind was made up. Jamie is now entering the sophomore year as a Painting major and her parents are on the RISD Parents’ Council, with Erica serving as one of the Co-chairs.

From Cranston to L.A. to Providence - many roads connect to RISD!