Michigan State University students chat among themselves in the cramped waiting room at Parnall Correctional Facility in Jackson, unfazed by the TSA-like security process. They place their shoes and socks in bins, walk through a metal detector enclosed in chain-link fencing, and go through a pat-down before the steel doors lock behind them. Next, they walk across a prison yard…
Student designers turned a greenhouse into a runway as Michigan State University’s Horticulture Gardens became the setting for Studio 450, a student-led fashion show showcasing original work by emerging fashion designers. Surrounded by glass conservatories and lush greenery, models moved through an evening of fashion that was about more than garments on display. For the Apparel and Textile Design (ATD)…
Painting the MSU Rock. A primal midnight scream during finals week. Formal social etiquette from a 1954 student handbook. And even Sparty himself. These iconic Michigan State University traditions — and many more — are featured in the What If We Kissed in the Shadows of Beaumont Tower?: Connecting Generations Through MSU Student Traditions exhibition created by students in the…
For former Michigan State University Men’s Tennis Coach Harry Jadun, who led one of the most successful eras in Spartan Men’s Tennis history, the lessons that have shaped his career extend far beyond the tennis court. During his four seasons as head coach, Jadun’s teams compiled a 70-40 (.636) record, including 32-12 (.727) in Big Ten play. Both winning percentages…
Two recent College of Arts & Letters alums have been awarded 2026-27 Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants. They are among seven Michigan State University students and recent alums who were offered Fulbright grants this year and who are traveling to seven different countries to teach English during the 2026-27 academic year. Two MSU students also were named as alternates. The Fulbright…
After exploring several majors at Michigan State University, Aditi Gonuguntala found more than a degree program in Experience Architecture (XA). She found a new way of thinking — one centered on designing experiences that are accessible, inclusive, and built around people's needs. Aditi Gonuguntala Now a senior majoring in Experience Architecture with a minor in Graphic Design, Aditi said discovering…
Nearly 5,000 miles apart, students at Michigan State University and Université Yambo Ouologuem de Bamako (UYOB) in Mali came together in a shared virtual classroom to explore democracy, displacement, and peacebuilding. Through conversations grounded in both philosophy and lived experience, the students discovered how questions about citizenship, power, and civic responsibility transcend national borders. Two of the four workshop leaders…
Familiar figures such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin are receiving renewed attention as the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, when the American Colonies declared their independence from Great Britain. According to Michigan State University Professor David W. Stowe, another figure deserves a place in the story: William…
When Austin Oting Har joined Michigan State University in Fall 2025 as an Assistant Professor in the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities, now School of Residential Community-Engaged Arts and Humanities (RCAH), one of his first goals was to launch a record label. But rather than building it on his own, he included students in the process from the…
For nearly a decade, composer Austin Oting Har has been building the world of "The Ghost," a contemporary opera that brings together ancient Greek tragedy, Chinese and Western musical traditions, and experimental electronics. On June 19, that vision finally reached audiences with the release of "The Ghost — Act I: Part I" on Neuma Records and digital streaming platforms, making the work accessible to listeners around the world.