Ringling College of Art and Design recently announced that the Daniel E. Offutt III Charitable Trust has made a $500,000 gift in support of the Richard and Barbara Basch Visual Arts Center, including the Wood Shop, which will be named the Daniel E. Offutt III Wood Shop. The Daniel E. Offutt III Wood Shop is in Ringling College's Makerspace, a collection of cross-disciplinary, educational studios where students can work cooperatively with faculty, staff and other artists to learn manufacturing processes, realize projects and develop responsible working practices. The Makerspace studios provide a safe and friendly learning environment, as well as an opportunity to work with manufacturing equipment and machinery in a variety of fields.

The gift also establishes the Daniel E. Offutt III Endowed Scholarship, which will furnish an annual scholarship of at least $7,500 beginning in fall 2022, and will provide an additional one-time scholarship for a student this fall, who will be the College’s first Offutt Scholar.