Joan Takayama-Ogawa
Joan Takayama-Ogawa is a friend to all and someone who believes deeply in the spirit of philanthropy and giving back. She’s also incredibly passionate about the Otis College of Art and Design, its students, and—most importantly—its legacy.
Takayama-Ogawa is a Professor of Ceramics, Product Design, Creative Action, and Liberal Arts and Sciences at Otis, where she herself took an Extension Ceramics course in the 1980s.
“A gene popped, and I fell in love with clay,” she says of her studies.
In 1986, Takayama-Ogawa began teaching English in the Liberal Arts and Sciences department. The rest, as they say, is history.
“The Otis community is a small town in a huge metropolis,” she says. “While most elevators are silent, we have interesting conversations.”
During the pandemic, Takayama-Ogawa decided it was time to step up by giving back to Otis—a place to which she has dedicated her entire adult life. She supports scholarships, student food insecurity funds, and the Otis general fund.
“I am not rich, but my life at Otis has been rich,” Takayama-Ogawa says. “Anyone who gives to a small institution like Otis receives the satisfaction that their donation makes a huge difference.”
Gifts like Takayama-Ogawa’s can support scholarships for specific programs or create endowments to provide materials funds for programs like Ceramics so that Otis can provide materials for students without them incurring the costs. Contact Allison Graff-Weisner at (310) 658-6995 or agraffweisner@otis.edu to learn more about how you can support Otis students today and in the future.