Tara McCrackin never imagined she’d one day lead an art and design college, serve as president of a professional organization, or become the first recipient of an award recognizing her lasting contributions to the interior design industry.
In fact, the turning point in her career began with something simple: raising her hand.
“I raised my hand to be interim,” McCrackin says of the moment in 2019 when she volunteered to step into the presidency of Ferris State University’s Kendall College of Art and Design (KCAD). “It wasn’t part of a grand plan. It just felt like the right thing to do.”
![]()
Tara McCrackin giving the 2025 KCAD commencement address.
That simple act launched a tenure shaped by both crisis and transformation—navigating a global pandemic, steering a college community through the emotional toll of civil unrest, and leading the college into a structural transition that will define its future.
May marks the end of an era for McCrackin. As part of a broader restructuring of Ferris State University, KCAD will no longer operate under a separate president.
The art and design college will be more closely integrated into Ferris' main structure, eliminating the role of its president. For McCrackin, the shift has opened a natural door to retirement.
"I'm going to give myself the time to think about what my next chapter might be, and then I'll focus on making that happen,” she says.
Professional distinction
Her departure coincides with a major professional milestone. This spring, McCrackin received the inaugural ICON Award from the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Michigan Chapter, honoring her service to the interior design profession, the design industry, and the communities it serves.
![]()
Tara McCrackin speaking with KCAD students.
“We got together and decided, yes, we were going to nominate her as our first inaugural awardee,” says Megan Murray, past president of IIDA Michigan. “It was more of a group decision, but Tara was the clear and unanimous choice.”
McCrackin’s connection to interior design began as a second act. After earning a degree in K–12 art education from Western Michigan University, she realized she didn’t want to pursue classroom teaching. In 1995, she moved to Grand Rapids to attend KCAD for interior design, setting off on a path that would eventually bring her full circle, back to the institution she would one day lead.
![]()
Tara McCrackin taking part in a show with KCAD students.
She met her husband during her final semester at KCAD and began working for Custer, the Steelcase dealership in West Michigan, after graduation. Over the next decade, McCrackin built a career designing showrooms around the country while staying closely tied to the West Michigan design scene. When an opportunity arose to teach part-time at Kendall, she embraced it and soon discovered her true passion.
“In my first design review, my supervisor noted I had a teaching personality,” she says. “That stuck with me.”
‘She lifts people up’
That intuition proved accurate. Over the years, McCrackin advanced from adjunct instructor to tenured professor, then to department leader, and eventually to college president. Through it all, she maintained a student-first focus.
“She’s an alumna of KCAD, then she taught there, and then she led there. She knows what it’s like to be a student, and she uses that perspective in everything she does,” Murray says. “She lifts people up. She makes them believe they can do it.”
Her reach extended beyond the classroom. McCrackin joined IIDA in 1997, served on the Michigan board for seven years, and was chapter president from 2017 to 2019. She advocated for student engagement, professional standards, and legislative recognition for interior designers in Michigan.
“Tara stepped up right away and said, ‘I have a good relationship with (state) Rep. Carol Glanville,’” Murray says. “She made the introduction, and Carol is now sponsoring the bill for our licensing efforts. That’s the kind of connector Tara is.”
McCrackin’s ability to build relationships and create meaningful connections also served her well at KCAD. When she assumed the interim presidency in 2019, no one could have predicted the challenges ahead. Just months into her role, COVID-19 disrupted higher education nationwide. McCrackin led the swift pivot to online learning, managed health and safety protocols, and recorded virtual commencement addresses from her living room.
“I had no idea what I didn’t know,” she recalls. “I was suddenly the face of the institution during a time of upheaval.”
Her leadership was tested again following the murder of George Floyd. KCAD’s buildings in downtown Grand Rapids were damaged during the unrest, and the community looked to McCrackin for direction. The Ferris board, which had delayed its search for a permanent president due to the uncertainty of the times, ultimately asked her to drop the interim title and continue in the role.
She accepted and kept raising her hand.
It’s time to slow down
Now, after nearly six years as president, McCrackin is ready for a new pace. She plans to spend the summer at her family’s home in Manistee, a place she and her husband, John McCrackin, have owned for 15 years but rarely had time to enjoy.
“I’ve never spent more than five consecutive days there,” she says. “That’s going to change.”
John, who retired five years ago, has already drafted a list of projects.
![]()
Tara McCrackin speaking with KCAD students.
McCrackin laughs but sets her limits: “I told him I’m not going up there just to work.”
Instead, she plans to kayak, rest, and spend more time with their daughter, Taylor McCrackin, whom she describes as a “fierce introvert” and a grounding presence in her life.
Even in retirement, McCrackin expects to stay active on boards and in advocacy. Murray has no doubt she’ll continue to influence the industry.
“She’s still going to be around, still making connections, still mentoring, still showing up,” Murray says. “She exemplifies everything we hope to see in our profession.”
At the IIDA Michigan Awards Gala, McCrackin was surrounded by students, alumni, and industry peers. Many had been impacted by her leadership.
![]()
Tara McCrackin with two KCAD students.
“There were 200 people in the room, and about 40 were alumni,” she says. “It was completely unexpected. I cried. I always cry.”
She sees the honor as a poignant way to celebrate a career built on helping others, speaking up, and building strong relationships. One that began when she chose to step up at a time when it really mattered.
“Interior design is about more than creating beautiful spaces,” McCrackin says. “It’s about improving people’s lives. That’s always been my focus, and I’m proud to have helped others find their voice, too.”
Photos provided by Ferris State University’s Kendall College of Art and Design (KCAD)
From furniture to shoes, from arts to education to even policy creation, design is everywhere you look. Designed in Michigan, a story series coming out of West Michigan, is devoted to sharing the expansive role design plays in Michigan's past, present and future. It is made possible through the support of Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University.