Faculty Stories

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Preserving Native American Culture and Traditions Through Language and Craft

November 22, 2024

Ellie Mitchell is on a mission to preserve Indigenous languages, arts, and crafts to ensure that Native American culture and traditions remain vibrant for future generations. A member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and a Michigan State University alum with a B.A. in Linguistics, Mitchell is using her MSU education to support tribal language programs across the country as…

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Professor Shines Spotlight on Women of Color with State and International Award-Winning Work

October 3, 2024

Teresa Dunn, a Mexican American artist and Professor in the Department of Art, Art History, and Design at Michigan State University, is using her artistic talent to shine a spotlight on women of color who are often overlooked or diminished. Dunn is now being honored with statewide and international awards for this work.

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Arts MSU / Award / Faculty / Faculty / Faculty Stories / News / Theatre / U.S. Impact

Theatre Professor Receives National Award for Excellence in Teaching and Mentorship

September 18, 2024

As the 2024 recipient of the Betty Jean Jones Award, Ann Folino White, Associate Professor of Theatre Studies at Michigan State University, joins the ranks of a select group of scholars honored by this prestigious national award for excellence in teaching and mentorship in theatre. Presented by the American Theatre and Drama Society (ATDS), an international body of scholars dedicated…

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English Professor Honored for Equity, Social Justice, and Community Engagement Work

August 30, 2024

Assistant Professor Leonora Souza Paula is being recognized for her gender equity and social justice work as the 2024 recipient of the Inspiration Award for Community Engagement. This award, which is sponsored by the Center for Gender in Global Context (GenCen), recognizes individuals who have made exceptional global contributions to gender equity and have demonstrated inclusive action and leadership in advancing social justice.

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Faculty / Faculty / Faculty Stories / Grant / Linguistics / Michigan Impact / News / Research

MSU Researcher Awarded $650K NSF Grant to Expand Educational Opportunities through Linguistics Project

August 29, 2024

Michigan State University Researcher and Assistant Professor of Linguistics Betsy Sneller was awarded $646,385 from the U.S. National Science Foundation, or NSF, to expand educational opportunities for students as part of the MI Diaries linguistics research project. Sneller and Associate Professor of Linguistics Suzanne Evans Wagner launched MI COVID Diaries in April 2020 to answer questions about how language changes…

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Garth Sabo Appointed Director of the Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities

July 26, 2024

Garth Sabo, Assistant Professor of Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities (IAH), was appointed Director of the Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities (CISAH), effective July 1, 2024. The mission of CISAH is to empower students to more deeply reflecton, understand,inquireabout, andtransformthe world around them, and to invite all students into lifelong engagement with the arts and humanities.

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Award / Faculty / Faculty / Faculty Stories / Michigan Impact / News / Religious Studies

Professor Follows in Father’s Footsteps by Receiving William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award

July 15, 2024

In recognition of his scholarly excellence, instruction, and extensive outreach, Mohammad Hassan Khalil, Professor of Religious Studies, Adjunct Professor of Law, and Director of the Muslim Studies Program at Michigan State University, recently was awarded the William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award. And remarkably, he is the second person in his family to receive this prestigious honor. “My father was…

Kelly Salchow MacArthur, a two-time Olympic rower and graphic design professor at Michigan State University, rowing in her boat on a body of water with green trees in the background.

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Ask the Expert: How Do the Olympics Connect People, Athletics, and Art?

July 11, 2024

The modern Olympics continue to highlight athletic excellence and a spirit of teamwork even after more than 125 years since their inception in Athens, Greece. Now, every two years, the Olympics — with either the Summer Games or Winter Games — connect people and cultures in peaceful competition. Roughly 10,500 athletes from around the world will compete at the 2024…

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African Languages Professor Receives Two International Studies and Programs Awards

July 10, 2024

Jonathan Choti, Associate Professor of African Languages and Cultures in the Department of Linguistics, Languages, and Cultures at Michigan State University, is a 2024 recipient of two International Studies and Programs Awards, which recognize his dedication to international education and excellence in teaching, research, service, and student mentorship. He received the MSU Award for Outstanding Service to Education Abroad, which…

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Yen-Hwei Lin Recommended as Interim Dean of MSU’s College of Arts & Letters

May 28, 2024

Yen-Hwei Lin has been recommended to serve as Interim Dean of Michigan State University’s College of Arts & Letters, effective June 10. She will assume the role of Interim Dean Designee until the MSU Board of Trustees meeting on Friday, June 28. Pending board approval, Lin will succeed Christopher P. Long, who has served as Dean since July 2015 and has…