Richard P. Welsh founded NewSchool of Architecture in 1980. The school was originally located in Chula Vista, California. In 1988, NewSchool relocated to the East Village of San Diego. A year later, Bislin Education Corp. (a subsidiary of Futures in Education, Inc.) acquired NewSchool. NewSchool was primarily focused on architecture and construction management undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
According to journalist Gary Robbins, the school's move came "as artists, architects, designers and other creative people were beginning to move into East Village, changing the look and vibe of the area. Eateries also popped up along with single-occupancy residential hotels. Voters supercharged the boom in 1998, approving construction of a new home for the Padres in the village. Petco Park opened in 2004."
In 2001, ForeFront Education, Inc., acquired the school and changed its name to NewSchool of Architecture & Design.[3]
Ownership under Laureate Education (2008–2020)
In 2008 Laureate Education acquired NewSchool.[4][5] Laureate's global network of design schools helped form a collaboration between NewSchool and Domus Academy School of Design in Milan, Italy. The collaboration lead to the creation of the Domus Academy School of Design at NewSchool which introduced several new design degrees including Interior Architecture & Design, Product Design, Design Studies and Media Design.[6][7][8]
In 2016, the schools partnered to launch a Global Design degree where students study two years in Milan and two years in San Diego.[9] In the same year, Marvin J. Malecha, FAIA, DPACSA, became president and Chief Academic Officer. Malecha was a fellow in the American Institute of Architects, where he served as national president in 2009.[10][11][12] Marvin Malecha passed away in May 2020.
In 2020, the NewSchool Board of Directors appointed Denise DeZol as the Interim President & Chief Academic Officer.
Ownership under Ambow Education (2020-present)
In the first quarter of 2020, the NewSchool Board of Directors and its parent Laureate Education, Inc. agreed to the transfer of ownership of NewSchool to Ambow NSAD, Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Ambow Education Holding, Ltd. of the Cayman Islands and Beijing, People's Republic of China.[13] Later that year, the NewSchool Board of Directors appointed Tom Clawson, former Chair of the NewSchool Board of Directors, as Interim President & Chief Academic Officer of NSAD.[14]
Since 2020 NewSchool has gone through one president and four interim presidents. In 2022, NSAD received a Notice of Concern letter from WASC, its accreditor. According to the letter, the accreditor had concerns about the school's finances, leadership, and dwindling enrollment. The school is on Heightened Cash Monitoring by the US Department of Education.[15][16]
From the warehouse to the high-rise (2025)
NewSchool of Architecture and Design moved from the warehouse in East Village to its current, high-rise location at 600 B St. prior to the start of its summer 2025 quarter. The new building is situated in the heart of downtown San Diego, in a building that was renovated and upgraded in 2007, and fully retrofitted in 2025 to better fit an academic institution.
Campus
Dramatic bottom up shot of the new campus in the heart of San Diego
NewSchool of Architecture & Design (NewSchool) leases three floor of a high-rise building in the heart of downtown. The 8th floor is dedicated to leadership, admin, faculty and staff offices. It also hosts the print center, which includes large format printers and 3-D printers. The 7th and 6th floors offer classrooms, gallery spaces, studio spaces, libraries, and some faculty offices. Every floor includes a kitchen and dining area, as well as lounging areas. Small, private working spaces are available for students or faculty on the 6th and 7th floor.
The new campus affords much-needed upgrades from its previous location, including abundant natural lighting, updated plumbing and electrical infrastructure, improved Wi-Fi, two computer labs, and multiple high-definition galleries. Every classroom and most of the active and collaborative spaces, including the library, have panoramic views of the city.
The institution is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.[27] Its architecture programs are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board.
Ambow Education Holding Ltd.
Ambow Education Holding Ltd is a Cayman Islands corporation. Jin Huang is the CEO and interim CFO. Ambow's current headquarters is in Cupertino, California.
In 2010, Ambow raised $107 million on the New York Stock Exchange. At its peak, Ambow was valued at $1 billion. But by 2013, Ambow liquidated its assets and reorganized the company amid "allegations of sham transactions and kickbacks at the schools and training firm."[28] In 2015, Ambow completed a reverse stock split to inflate the share price.[29]
According to Ambow Education's financial reports, the People's Republic of China (PRC) government has exerted "substantial influence" over their business.[30]
In 2023, Ambow's other US subsidiary, Bay State College, lost accreditation and closed.[31] Later in the year, Ambow Education began paying some employees in AMBO shares "to improve operating efficiency." Ambow plans another reverse stock split in February 2024 to avoid delisting from the New York Stock Exchange.[32]
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