Steven D. Lavine served for 29 years as the third president of CalArts, from 1988 - 2017. CalArts at the time of Lavine’s arrival was deeply financially indebted and faced uncertain odds. Then, on January 17, 1994, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake—the strongest in modern Los Angeles history—struck, severely damaging the main campus building. Here, in conversation with author Jörn Jacob Rowher, he reflects on the Northridge earthquake, the destruction it caused, and how the CalArts community came together to rebuild in the months following the disaster.