News - College of Arts & Letters

A person wearing glasses, a black blazer, and a light pink top smiles while standing in front of a yellow mural depicting white cranes flying across a large orange sun.

Japanese Major Expands Her Vocabulary and Knowledge of Japanese Culture During Internship Abroad

January 22, 2026

Alexandria Holden, a junior Japanese major from Sacramento, California, did an internship abroad in Kyoto, Japan, as part of the CRCC Asia program. She worked for Kyotech as a Research and Marketing Intern and supported interior design projects. She shared information about her experience with this internship abroad in this Q&A.

A photo of two individuals, a man and a woman, in front of a whiteboard.

Alumni / News / Theatre

No Cookie-Cutter Performers: How MSU Shaped the Creative Careers of Two Theatre Alums

January 21, 2026

When MSU Department of Theatre alums Sarah Goeke and Travis Staton-Marrero revisited campus, they brought more than memories, returning with hard-earned experience shaped by their time at Michigan State University and a desire to share it with the next generation of theatre professionals. Now both living in New York City, that experience is reflected in the careers they have built.…

A group of students stands in a wide circle on a grassy area outdoors, listening to an instructor beneath a large tree in a Beal Gardens.

Student / Student / WRAC / XA

Beyond the Classroom: Students Explore the World’s Oldest Design System During XA Day of Professionalization

January 20, 2026

Michigan State University’s Experience Architecture (XA) program took learning beyond the classroom during its 2025 XA Day of Professionalization, which brought students together with industry professionals for hands-on, experiential learning. “These days are not about telling students what a career looks like. They’re about giving students the space to explore how their values, curiosity, and creativity can shape the kind…

A Polaroid-style photograph of Rachel Helzerman smiling and holding three Criterion Collection films in front of a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf filled with movies.

English / Film Studies / News / Student / Student / Study Abroad / Study Abroad

Toronto International Film Festival: Highlight of Academic Career for Film Studies Major

January 16, 2026

Rachel Helzerman is a Film Studies major from Ypsilanti, Michigan, who attended the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September 2025 as part of the education abroad program offered by the Film Studies Program at Michigan State University. She shares her experience with this program and why it is the highlight of her academic career.

AAHD / Art, Art History, and Design / Arts MSU / Internship / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / News / Student / Student

Student View: Learning, Growing, and Leading at the MSU Museum

January 15, 2026

Rachel Lewis is a CoLaborator at the MSU Museum and a fourth-year student majoring in Art History and Visual Culture in the College of Arts & Letters and Journalism with a concentration in Photo Journalism in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. The CoLaborator program empowers graduate and undergraduate students to shape the MSU Museum’s exhibitions and facilitate visitor engagement.

Larry Joe Campbell smiling warmly, sitting in a chair with his arms crossed. He is wearing a purple and white button up shirt with a dark blue vest.

Theatre

Hollywood Veteran Brings Real-World Experience to MSU Department of Theatre Class

January 14, 2026

Students enrolled in the Fall 2025 Acting for the Camera class offered by Michigan State University’s Department of Theatre had the rare opportunity of learning from a veteran Hollywood actor and comedian who has found success on both television and the big screen. Their instructor, Larry Joe Campbell, has a long list of credits but is best known for his eight-season run as Andy on the ABC sitcom "According to Jim."

A woman in a black headscarf, MSU Assistant Professor Nareman Amin, stands by a globe sculpture in the MSU International Center in East Lansing, Michigan.

Faculty / Faculty / International Impact / News / Religious Studies / Research

Ask the Expert: How Ideas of Democracy and Religion Have Changed Since the 2011 Egyptian Revolution

January 13, 2026

In early 2011, Egyptians calling for “bread, freedom, and social justice” took to the streets to protest the 30-year authoritarian rule of Hosni Mubarak. Jan. 25 marks the 15th anniversary of the Egyptian uprising and the first taste of democracy in Egypt following Mubarak’s subsequent resignation Feb. 11. Michigan State University Assistant Professor Nareman Amin’s research focuses on contemporary Islam…

A close-up of an interactive station in the gallery. Black vinyl lettering on the wall asks, "WHAT IS SOMETHING MEANINGFUL TO YOU?" Below the text, a wooden shelf holds jars of buttons, embroidery floss, and pincushions. A string of colorful fabric patches is pinned beneath the shelf, and several decorated lampshades sit on the ledge above.

AAHD / Art, Art History, and Design / Arts MSU / Exhibition / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / News

‘Patchwork: Reclaiming Space’ Exhibit Invites the Public to Reflect, Create, and Heal

January 12, 2026

Patchwork: Reclaiming Space, a collaborative, participatory exhibition at the MSU Union Art Gallery that runs through Saturday, Feb. 14, invites the public to pause, reflect, and remember through shared creative expression rooted in community. The exhibition encourages members of the Michigan State University community to spend time in the gallery acknowledging the past, reflecting on the present, and making art.…

News

Experience Architecture Major Works to Improve Accessibility and User Experience at Internship

January 7, 2026

Avery Kuehl, a sophomore Experience Architecture major from Commerce Township, Michigan, worked as a Digital Accessibility Intern for Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine. She shared her experience with this internship in a Q&A originally published by the Excel Network.

A person in a blazer behind a podium on the "Jeopardy!" TV game show set. A blue curtain is in the background. The person is MSU Film Studies faculty member Peter Johnston.

English / Faculty / Faculty / Faculty Stories / Film Studies / News

MSU Film Studies Faculty Member Wins First Round in Second Chance Tournament on ‘Jeopardy!’

December 20, 2025

Michigan State University faculty member Pete Johnston fulfilled a lifelong dream when he first appeared on a July episode of “Jeopardy!” While Johnston came in second place in July, he took first place in the “Jeopardy!” Second Chance Tournament game Dec. 17 and also in the resulting two-game finals Dec. 18-19. He next competes in the Champions Wildcard game airing…