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…
Deric McNish, Associate Professor of Theatre at Michigan State University, led a four-week U.S. Department of State English Language Specialist Program at Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University (SSRU) in Bangkok, Thailand. Dr. Sasiporn Phongploenpis, SSRU Assistant Professor and Deputy Dean of the Graduate School, hosted and facilitated the drama-based English education program with McNish during October 2025. McNish brought his expertise…
Michigan State University has joined the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in The Earthseed Project, a humanities-centered research initiative that uses Afrofuturist literature to connect horticulture, climate resilience, and food sustainability knowledge and practices. The Earthseed Project at Michigan State University uses spaces like the Beal Botanical Garden to bring people together to discuss current topics and develop a…
This summer, more than 20 English educators from around the world came to Michigan State University's campus to be immersed in the language and culture while also learning new creative approaches to teaching English in their home countries. MSU was awarded $116,000 from the U.S. Department of State to lead and host the two-week exchange program “Multimodal Approaches to Content-Based…
Michigan State University Assistant Professor Tim Conrad received a 2025 Midwest Book Award in the Fiction – Short Story/Anthology category for his debut short story collection, “The Machine We Trust,” published by Cornerstone Press in April 2024. Conrad teaches creative writing and literature at MSU through the Department of English. The Midwest Book Awards Contest, through the Midwest Independent Publishers…
Peter Johnston, Interim Director and faculty member in the Film Studies program at Michigan State University, relied on his high school quiz bowl experience and arts and humanities background to secure a spot on the iconic game show “Jeopardy!” Johnston’s appearance as a contestant aired July 15. He played a strong game solidly taking second place. “It was so surreal…
A new community-centered initiative, the Diasporic Collage Community Microgrant Program, has been launched through a partnership between the Center for Puerto Rican Studies (CENTRO) at Hunter College, New York, New York, and the College of Arts & Letters at Michigan State University. This microgrant program was open to all community organizations, inviting them to propose the creation of locally rooted programs that…
The first Pride march was held in New York City June 28, 1970, on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. The Stonewall Uprising started with a raid on the gay bar, the Stonewall Inn in New York City and resulted in six days of protests and fighting between police and the LGBTQIA+ community. In 1969, homosexuality was considered a…
The story of techno music often focuses on a global narrative without acknowledging that it began in Detroit, Michigan — a place where Black people for decades have harnessed sound and music to reflect their experiences. During the 1970s and 1980s, techno was explored and celebrated by Black and queer communities across radio waves and in warehouse spaces around the…