Carnegie Mellon Boasts 11 Academy Award Wins

Beginning in 1983 and, most recently with a 2021 win, eight Carnegie Mellon University alumni across several colleges have accepted a total of 11 Academy Awards, given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This year, CMU celebrated the most recent Oscar win by costume designer Ann Roth, a 1953 graduate of the School of Drama. Roth accepted her second Academy Award at the 93rd Annual Oscars for her work as costume designer for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” She also won an Oscar in 1996 for costume design for “The English Patient.”

Carnegie Mellon alumni have worked both in front of the camera and behind the scenes to net Oscar gold. College of Fine Arts Dean Dan Martin recognizes the expansive depth and breadth of talent among these honorees and the many talented alumni contributing their talents to society every day.

“Many people know of Carnegie Mellon’s prominence and influence in STEM education and research,” he says. “What is not as well-known is the fact that the arts were an essential part of Andrew Carnegie’s founding vision, and that our arts, design and architecture graduates have contributed to and helped transform the creative sectors for the greater part of the last 100 years. The artistry and achievements of the School of Drama’s graduates are but one example of the depth, quality and impact of creative education, research and practice at Carnegie Mellon.”

Roth, who was not in attendance at the Union Station ceremony in Los Angeles earlier this year, has been a fixture on the costume design circuit for five decades. She regularly visits the CMU campus to talk with students in the School of Drama’s costume design program, recently named one of the best in the world by The Hollywood Reporter.