President's Biography

Grafton J. Nunes

During his tenure President Nunes has overseen two years of increasing enrollment at the college, continuation of a highly successful capital campaign, renovation of the school’s signature building, and new construction of classrooms and studio spaces.

President Nunes came to CIA from Emerson College in Boston. As founding Dean of the School of the Arts at Emerson, President Nunes established what has become the larger of Emerson’s two schools. Over the last 12 years the school has grown to national prominence, with 3,000 students taught by 111 full-time and 150 part-time faculty members. During his tenure there, his fundraising garnered significant contributions to artists in residence, student scholarships, master teachers and new state-of-the-art facilities in theater, film, television, audio, and photography.

Prior to his time at Emerson, President Nunes served for 22 years at Columbia University in positions of increasing responsibility, concluding his tenure there by serving as associate dean of Columbia’s School of the Arts. At both Emerson and Columbia, he was centrally involved in the development, implementation, and fundraising for extensive capital projects including a $77 million complex of theaters, residence halls, and classrooms at Emerson.

Grafton Nunes is a graduate of Columbia University with an MFA in film history, theory, and criticism, and an M.Phil. in theater history and film studies. At the College of the Holy Cross he received his BA in English and religion. In addition to his work in higher education, Nunes has had an active career as a film writer and producer, including his production of the film The Loveless, directed by the 2010 Oscar winner for Best Director, Kathryn Bigelow.