PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Rhode Island School of Design plans to honor three persons with honorary doctor of fine arts degrees Saturday at its commencement.
They are illustrator and designer Maira Kalman, who will also deliver the keynote address; Swiss designer and artist Karl Gerstner,who is unable to travel to Providence but will accept in absentia; and environmental activist Bill McKibben.
RISD alumna Tamara Kaplan, operations manager at the Providence-based nonprofit New Urban Arts, will accept the Alumni Association's Art and Education Award for outstanding service and leadership in art and design education.
The college plans to confer degrees upon 197 graduate and 462 undergraduate students.
The ceremony will take place at 10:30 a.m. at the Rhode Island Convention Center in downtown Providence.