Art, Art History, and Design

2026 Undergrad Exhibition poster with bold purple text on a white background. Colorful abstract art surrounds the text. Juried by Ekaterina Popova. Held at (SCENE) Metrospace from March 26 to April 24, with a reception on April 10, 5-7pm.

MSU’s 2026 Undergraduate Art Exhibit on Display at (SCENE) Metrospace March 26-April 24

March 24, 2026

The 2026 Department of Art, Art History, and Design Undergraduate Exhibition at Michigan State University features the work on 64 students created in Department of Art, Art History, and Design courses during the past year. This juried exhibition runs March 26 through April 24 at (SCENE) Metrospace, 110 Charles Street, East Lansing, Michigan. Gallery hours are noon-5 p.m. Thursday-Sunday.

A two-by-two grid of headshots featuring four MSU faculty members. Top left is Jonathan Choti in a blue blazer; top right is Philip Effiong in a green sweater and round glasses; bottom left is is Peter Glendinning in a blue blazer holding a camera; bottom right Stephen Esquith in a dark blazer and purple tie.

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Faculty and Students Engage in Cross-Cultural Teaching and Learning Through COIL Program

March 12, 2026

Four College of Arts & Letters faculty members are part of the third cohort of the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Faculty Fellows Program-Africa, pairing them with faculty from an African country with the goal of engaging students in meaningful global learning experiences. An online cross-cultural teaching and learning method, the COIL program links university courses, faculty, and students in different countries,…

Installation view of the 2026 Master of Fine Arts Exhibition at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, featuring diverse artworks by five graduating MFA candidates. The display includes, from left to right: a terracotta sculptural form with abstract organic shapes; a mixed-media collage combining drawings, handwritten text, and photographic elements; colorful woven textile work; ornate beaded textile with intricate patterned designs; and natural dried botanical materials suspended in the gallery space.

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2026 MFA Exhibition Showcases the Work on Five Artist-Scholars

March 6, 2026

The annual Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Exhibition returns to the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University March 14-May 17, 2026, and will feature the work of five MFA candidates — Yeroham Ashagre, Hailey Becker, Niloufar Fallahfar, Vadu Rodrigues, and Alex Vlasov — all of whom are graduating this spring. This thesis exhibition is the culmination…

The bronze Spartan statue on Michigan State University’s campus is shown in the foreground, backlit by the sun, with trees, blue sky, and campus buildings visible in the background.

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From AI to Urban Trees: College of Arts & Letters Faculty and Students Lead Ethics Week Events Inviting MSU Community into Critical Dialogue

February 16, 2026

This week, Feb. 16-20, 2026, Michigan State University celebrates Ethics Week, a week-long series of events designed to engage students, faculty, staff, and the community in meaningful discussions about ethics and to encourage campus-wide engagement with contemporary moral challenges. Organized by the Ethics Institute, Ethics Week is dedicated to exploring the key roles ethics plays in our professional and personal…

A group of nine College of Arts & Letters faculty members standing in two rows, smiling and posing for a group photo. They are dressed in business professional attire, including dark blazers, a teal jacket, dress shirts with ties, and a cream blouse. They stand on a patterned rug in a well-lit indoor lounge area featuring an orange seating bench, a wood-slatted ceiling, and warm pendant lighting. In the blurred foreground, the hands of a person holding a smartphone are visible, capturing the picture of the group.

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MSU Celebrates Promoted Faculty, Honoring 29 from the College of Arts & Letters

February 14, 2026

During the 2025-2026 academic year, 24 faculty members within the College of Arts & Letters received promotions. The success of these individuals was celebrated at special ceremonies hosted by the Office of the Provost. “On behalf of the College of Arts & Letters, I want to congratulate our faculty members who have earned promotions this year,” said Thomas Stubblefield, Dean of the College of Arts & Letters.

Rachel Zhai stands at a podium holding notes while delivering an oral presentation to an audience seated in a lecture-style room at the Diversity Research Showcase.

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Arts & Letters and RCAH Students Earn Awards at Diversity Research Showcase

January 30, 2026

Students from the College of Arts & Letters and the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities (RCAH) earned top honors at the 9th Annual Diversity Research Showcase hosted by MSU’s Honors College. Thirteen students from the two colleges presented their research, with two RCAH students receiving first place in the poster presentation category and a College of Arts &…

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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.

Through the glass entrance of the MSU Union Art Gallery, visitors gather around a communal table covered in paper, fabric, and art supplies while participating in the Patchwork: Reclaiming Space exhibition, with artwork displayed on the gallery walls around them.

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‘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.…

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Driven to Succeed: Graphic Design Student Graduates Early with Perfect 4.0 GPA

December 11, 2025

Lexi Sesock, a Graphic Design major, will graduate this semester with a 4.0 GPA, completing her degree a semester early while balancing a rigorous academic schedule, creative exploration, and professional experiences across the College of Arts & Letters and Michigan State University. She also was one of 86 graduating seniors who received the Board of Trustees Award, recognizing their exceptional academic performance.

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Cross-Border Art Project Between MSU and Canadian Students on Display at (SCENE) Metrospace

November 4, 2025

Michigan State University’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design presents “Faces and Traces: A Cross-Border Portrait Project” exhibition, showcasing the collaboration between students from MSU and Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCAD U). The exhibition runs Nov. 7-Dec. 7 at (SCENE) Metrospace, with an opening reception planned for Nov. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m.