The U.S. Wacom Lab Grant was created to support educators in the United States who are expanding access to industry-standard tools and preparing students for future careers in art, design, and other creative pursuits. The grant awards selected programs with Wacom Cintiq 16 pen displays, empowering students to create, design, and learn using the same tools professionals rely on every day.
This year, we’re proud to celebrate two outstanding recipients whose thoughtful applications, strong instructional vision, and deep commitment to student success exemplify what the Wacom Lab Grant is all about.
Wacom is excited to announce Ari Richter and Dr. Jessica Boehman, Professors of Fine Arts at LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, New York, as the first recipients of this year’s Wacom Lab Grant! Their proposal clearly articulated both the challenges their students face and the transformative opportunity that access to professional creative tools can unlock. As a result, LaGuardia will receive Wacom Cintiq 16 pen displays, bringing industry-standard creative technology directly into two of their computer labs.
LaGuardia Community College, part of The City University of New York (CUNY) system, serves one of the most culturally diverse student populations in the United States. Many students in the Fine Arts, Design Studies, and New Media Technology programs are first-generation college students, first-generation immigrants, or come from families earning household incomes of less than $35,000 per year. For many of these students, purchasing personal creative technology simply is not an option.
Until now, they relied on traditional computer labs and a mouse to complete work intended for professional creative careers. That gap between curriculum goals and available tools was clear. And it mattered.
With the Wacom Lab Grant, LaGuardia will install Wacom Cintiq 16 displays across two labs, supporting more than 530 students across three academic programs. These devices will be integrated into coursework spanning illustration, graphic design, comics and graphic narrative, animation, web design, and computer art disciplines. Students will finally be able to work digitally in the same way professionals do.
The impact extends beyond individual classes. The Cintiqs will support college wide creative initiatives, including large scale public murals, t-shirt designs for community events, and student led comics publications like The Queerterly. These projects blend artistic expression with collaboration and real-world problem solving. They are exactly the kind of experiences that help students build confidence and strong portfolios.
LaGuardia’s mission does not stop at graduation. The college is deeply focused on helping students transfer successfully to four-year institutions and pursue careers in highly competitive creative industries. Access to Wacom Cintiq technology helps ensure students are prepared for that next step, both technically and creatively.
As Professor Richter wrote in the college’s application, “Access to industry standard tools should never depend on a student’s ability to purchase their own equipment. The Wacom Lab Grant represents an investment in equity, access, and long-term student success.”
We are proud to partner with LaGuardia Community College, Ari Richter, and Dr. Jessica Boehman as they bring this Wacom Lab to life. This is what happens when educator vision meets the right tools.
Wacom is proud to announce The Center of Applied Sciences & Technology (COAST) in Brunswick County Schools, North Carolina as the second recipient of the Wacom Lab Grant!
Led by educator and Spark NC Lab leader Sarah Gardinor, COAST’s application stood out for its strong alignment to Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways, and clear commitment to preparing students for creative and technical careers. The grant award provides the school with Wacom Cintiq 16 pen displays, expanding access to creative tools for high school learners across the district.
COAST serves as Brunswick County Schools’ centralized hub for advanced high school-level CTE and STEM education, supporting both full-time and shared-enrollment students from across the district. Each year, more than 300 students participate in programs such as 3D Modeling and Animation, Game Art and Design, Technology, Engineering, and Design, and SparkNC learning experiences, many of which rely heavily on digital design and creative technology.
COAST students already work with powerful platforms including Unreal Engine, Unity, Autodesk 3Ds Max, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, Onshape, and TinkerCAD. The addition of Wacom Cintiq pen displays elevates this work by introducing precision pen input, allowing students to sketch, model, design, and iterate with greater control and creative expression.
From storyboarding game environments to visualizing engineering prototypes, Wacom technology will be embedded directly into project-based learning across multiple pathways.
Ms. Gardinor emphasized in the application how pen displays support employability skills such as iteration, attention to detail, collaboration, and client-focused design, while aligning closely with North Carolina’s Portrait of a Graduate competencies.
The Wacom Lab will be housed in COAST’s Spark Lab, a collaborative innovation space designed to support cross-disciplinary learning and long-term sustainability. With strong district IT support, dedicated lab leadership, and a clear rollout plan, the program is positioned for lasting impact.
COAST’s vision reflects what the Wacom Lab Grant is all about: partnering with educators to provide equitable access to professional creative tools that help students imagine, design, and build their futures.
Wacom is excited to support Sarah Gardinor, the COAST team, and Brunswick County Schools. Stay tuned for updates as this lab comes to life!
