Architect and historian Michelangelo Sabatino considers the rhizome, a plant system utilizing both vertical and horizontal roots, as a perfect visual metaphor exemplifying specificity and interconnectivity as two separate but equally important concepts that make for a holistic educational environment. On the Illinois Tech faculty since 2014 as professor and director of the architecture Ph.D. program, Sabatino considers his vision for the college now as interim dean of the College of Architecture.
"I seek to re-think the relationship between our college, IIT, Chicago, and the rest of the world," Sabatino told IIT Magazine, "My ambition is to think carefully about what it means to be a global architect today."